Department of Climate Change released this Regulation Policy Paper on 4 February 2008. The paper indicates potential Government policy position under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (‘the Act’) and seeks feedbacks from Australian public. Interested parties can write their comment and submit it via email by 28 February 2008. Inspite of informing stakeholders, the policy paper aims to support future Australian emission trading scheme (AETS) proposed in 2010.
The Act was enforced in September 2007 as legislative structure in establishing a single framework for mandatory reporting which so called the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System (NGERS). The Act requires annually mandatory reporting by Australian corporations which met certain thresholds on GHGs emissions and energy production and consumption, from 1 July 2008. Meanwhile projects to remove or reduce greenhouse gases are required to be voluntarily reported by companies. The detailed requirements of the Act are depicted as follow:
Adopted from National Greenhouse Energy Act 2007
Mandatory reporting applies from 1 July 2008 for corporations with facilities emitting 25 kilotonnes or more carbondioxide equivalent (25 ktCO2e) or producing or consuming 500 terajoules (TJ) or more energy. Thresholds for corporation groups are emitting 125 ktCO2e or 500TJ of energy use. Lower thresholds will be assigned for 2009-10 and 2010-11 reporting years, namely 87.5 ktCO2e or 350 TJ of and 50 ktCO2e or 200TJ of energy respectively. Companies that meet a threshold must register by 31 August and report by 31 October. Their data will be published online by 28 February by the Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer (GEDO). It is expected that of some 700 Australian corporations (such as electricity generators, coal mining companies and large manufacturers), around 300 will be reporting for the year 2008-09.
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