Australian water team leads Chinese study tour
Hyder Australia's water team was part of the winning AUS (Australian Urban Systems) cluster of private companies and Victorian government agencies that secured a contract to design and deliver a water pollution control and management program for the Lake Tai Region in China.
Over an 18-month period the cluster team will work on a program to address some of the problems the region is experiencing with algal blooms, contaminated drinking water and increased nutrient pollution from ongoing economic development. The region is home to over five million people, and is upstream of Shanghai city.
This initiative is part of the Australian China Environmental Development Partnership (ACEDP), funded by the Australian federal government (via AusAID), which runs over five years at a cost of AUD25 million. ACEDP’s objective is to support and improve policy development in China in the area of environmental protection and natural resources management.
The program includes study tours in China and Australia, workshops, information exchanges and a range of other inter-country activities aimed and bolstering Chinese knowledge of water pollution control and management.
As part of the program, Hyder rencetly led a two week study tour for 12 Chinese delegates in Australia . The study tour focused on helping delegates understand market mechanisms for pollution control and management, with emphasis on the Australian experience in this area.
“We were thrilled to lead this international delegation on their tour of Australia. Hyder’s water group does a lot of work in the advisory space, so it’s great to see us recognised at this level. We hope to provide more services in setting up market mechanisms for sustainable resource management,” said Abel Immaraj, Hyder’s Director of Water.
The delegates, ranging from senior management level to director and CEO, came from the two major regions that encompass the Lake Tai Region (Huzhou and Shuzou). As part of the tour they visited several sites including Melbourne water’s wetland treatment sites and the Hunter River Salinity Trading Scheme in New South Wales, where they learnt about private companies’ roles in water pollution control and management.
The delegates also visited state and federal government agencies, urban utilities, universities and other relevant companies to learn about the current market mechanisms in Australia, supporting legislation, operational methods, and how to define and develop a market mechanism.
Hyder’s Dr Ian Garrard and John Moran presented on water pollution control and management. Sam Pollard mobilised experts from government agencies from three states and the Commonwealth as well as Sydney Futures Exchange, who provided case studies of programs running in Queensland (Moreton Bay nutrient offset and trading scheme), Victoria and New South Wales (bubble licensing in South Creek). Hyder’s Abel Immaraj and Sam Pollard then facilitated a workshop for delegates to help them work through the various ideas raised during the tour.
“The Hyder water team is pleased to be involved with this project and were thrilled that the study tour was so well received by the Chinese delegation. We look forward to continuing to provide expert advice and building capacity in pollution control mechanisms,” Abel said.
Representatives from the Hyder water team will follow up with a possible visit to China later in the year.
For further details of the Australia China Environment Development Partnership click here.
For information on AusAID's China Country Strategy and Aid Activities in China click here.