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Please see EPA's Climate Change site for current information on climate change and global warming. EPA no longer updates EPA's Global Warming Site, but is maintaining this archive for historical purposes. Thank you for visiting the archive of EPA's Global Warming Site.
Outreach in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom
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The following countries have a solid outreach strategy in place and have developed numerous outreach initiatives.
- Australia
In 1998, the Australian government issued a National Greenhouse Strategy (NGS) within which it outlined its plans for climate change communication and education. The aim of the communication strategy is to reduce duplication of efforts within and across governments; strengthen linkages between programs and enhance effectiveness of greenhouse community information and education. Better marketing of existing information is desired, as is the encouragement of community action. The strategy specifies issues that need to be addressed including the effectiveness of existing greenhouse information programs, assessment of community attitudes and awareness levels, the consideration of information vehicles (e.g. press, radio/TV, internet), identification of target audiences and opportunities for partnerships. The NGS was updated in 2000.
For more information, visit the Australian Greenhouse Office site. 
- Canada
As part of its Climate Change Action Fund, the Canadian government created a Public Education and Outreach component (CCAF-PEO) that receives $10 million (Canadian) per year. The program began in 1998 and has been renewed for another three years (through 2004). The stated objective of the program is to "facilitate the movement of key sectors of society from being 'target audiences' to becoming 'key players' in practicing and encouraging others to adopt less greenhouse gas-intensive lifestyles." Local initiatives are emphasized (targeted to receive 80% of the funding) although broad-based national activities are designed to provide an overarching framework to support local initiatives. To date, the program has supported over 150 partnered projects. The outreach initiatives are designed for six target audiences: the general public, communities, youth, educators, business (and industry) and the media.
To learn more about Canada's 150+ outreach initiatives, search CCAF's outreach program database.
- New Zealand
The New Zealand Ministry for the Environment considers getting the New Zealand community engaged in climate change issues as a priority. It provides a wealth of general information to the public; information and materials to schools; advice, support and information to local government, and interfaces with industry and non-government organizations on climate change related issues. The Ministry views education as the first step in an effort to raise awareness. In support of this step, a series of meetings is planned that is intended to feed into a formal consultation process beginning around mid-2001. The Ministry also intends on building climate change partnerships between local and central government.
The Ministry for the Environment site contains information about New Zealand's response to climate change. New Zealand's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) contains numerous outreach materials relating to energy efficiency.
- United Kingdom
The UK, including the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, have established outreach programs targeted at the general public, children, businesses, the local government and home owners. The overall objective is to promote and facilitate the development and implementation of educational and public awareness programs on climate change and its effects at the national and sub-regional and regional levels. The UK has made an effort to ensure outreach materials are available through a range of media including the internet in formats that are meaningful and easy to access. For more information on the UK's outreach strategy, see the UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
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