The Government is taking practical steps to reduce carbon emissions and protect our environment and support better responses to natural disasters.

Taking direct action to reduce carbon emissions

The Government is taking direct action to reduce carbon emissions without the burden of the carbon tax, which is hurting the economy and affecting the living standards of Australian families. The Government will invest $2.55 billion over ten years to establish the Emissions Reduction Fund from 1 July 2014.

The Fund will support the purchase of low-cost abatement through reverse auctions to achieve emissions reductions and deliver benefits to landholders and businesses.

The Government is also committed to creating a Green Army — a 15,000‑strong workforce — and planting 20 million native trees to re-establish green corridors while contributing to emissions reductions.

Upgrading our weather forecasting capabilities

The Government will upgrade the Bureau of Meteorology supercomputer to provide more detailed forecasts, more frequently. This will improve forecasting, which will support responses to natural disasters, deliver better weather information for the public, and benefit industries that rely on specific forecasting capability.

Maintaining our strong presence in Antarctica

The Government will progress the acquisition of a new icebreaker and provide $9.4 million in 2014-15 to maintain Australia's physical and strategic presence in Antarctica. In addition, funding of $24 million to support collaborative Antarctic scientific research between the University of Tasmania, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and the Australian Government will contribute to the preservation of the Antarctic environment.