The future of carbon—direct action or ETS lite?
Allison WarburtonMinter Ellison Lawyers.
The APPEA Journal 54(2) 498-498 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ13071
Published: 2014
Abstract
The future of carbon policy in Australia is still unclear, despite a change of government at the 2013 federal election. The Coalition Government is committed to repealing the existing carbon tax and replacing it with an incentive scheme to fund emissions-reduction projects under the banner of direct action. They may not, however, be able to get their legislative proposals for the repeal through the senate until mid-2014 or later. By the time of the APPEA Conference and Exhibition in 2014, businesses may have greater certainty on carbon policy than they have had for some time; however, this is unlikely. This extended abstract examines and reviews:
the key carbon policy measures and carbon pricing mechanisms at the federal level;
the key issues for the gas sector for 2014–15 if the carbon tax still exists;
the operation of the coalition’s direct action plan and its implications and opportunities for the gas sector; and,
other countries’ plans and actions in relation to carbon, as relevant to an increasingly international gas market.
Allison is the co-head of Minter Ellison’s national climate change practice and is a leading private and government sector advisor across the energy, resources and power generation industries. In 2013, Allison was awarded Best Lawyer in Energy and Resources at Euromoney’s Australasia Women in Business Law Awards, and she is listed as a leading lawyer in independent directories including Best Lawyers and Chambers. Her extensive experience in climate change projects and on greenhouse compliance issues, includes assisting the Commonwealth Clean Energy Scheme, Mandatory Renewable Energy Target Scheme, National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme and Energy Efficiency Opportunities legislation, and Australian Renewable Energy Agency funding. Allison also deals in all aspects of upstream and downstream gas projects including joint operation agreements, farm-ins, transportation, offtake agreements, overlapping tenements, due diligence and LNG projects. Some long-standing clients include Rio Tinto, Stanwell Corporation, QGC, Pacific Aluminium and AGL Energy. Email: allison.warburton@minterellison.com |
References
‘Direct Action Plan on Environment and Climate Change’ available at http://www.greghunt.com.au/Portals/0/PDF/TheCoalitionsDirectActionPlanPolicy2010.pdfhttp://www.environment.gov.au/topics/cleaner-environment/clean-air/emissions-reduction-fund/green-paper
http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/cleaner-environment/clean-air/emissions-reduction-fund/green-paper
The Carbon Farming Initiative was established by the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 (Cth) and allows farmers and land managers to earn carbon credits known as Australian Carbon Credit Units by storing carbon or reducing greenhouse gas emissions on the land. These credits can then be sold to people and businesses wishing to offset their emissions or (until the Clean Energy Act 2011 is repealed) satisfy a proportion of their liability under the Clean Energy Scheme.
http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/cleaner-environment/clean-air/emissions-reduction-fund/green-paper
