Message from Minister Lenders

Climate change represents significant opportunities for industry as well as risks and challenges.

Victorian industry has the potential to benefit from up to $25 billion of greenhouse opportunities in domestic and international markets over the next two decades. This highlights how rapid action on climate change can further spur the creation of new and sustainable jobs.

The Victorian Government is working with industry to help it capture opportunities and generate employment in areas such as clean technology, recycling, hybrid vehicles and environmentally sustainable building and urban design. At the same time efforts by companies to cut waste are improving overall efficiency and enhancing international competitiveness.

Victoria is well placed to make the most of the opportunities. We are within the Asia-Pacific regional time zone, account for the lion's share of Australia's heavy industry and are home to the national energy markets.

We also have strong 'green' capabilities and competitive advantages in key sectors like financial services, research and consulting. Furthermore our international linkages such as Victoria's climate change partnership with California and Melbourne's membership of the Chicago Climate Exchange position us well to cater for the regional and global dimensions of carbon trading.

With these strengths Victoria is likely to be the focus of intense interest as the transition to low carbon economies gathers pace and there is stronger demand for related services.

This updated edition of the Carbon Market Services Guide will provide a valuable reference source for those requiring such services. I commend the Guide to you and urge you to make full use of the services and suppliers it features.