The Authority is required to review the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) every three years and previously reviewed the ERF in 2014 and 2017. The requirement to review the ERF is set out in the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 (Cth) (CFI Act), which gives effect to the Emissions Reduction Fund.
In April 2020, the Authority released a paper to facilitate consultation for the report. As the consultation period coincided with COVID-19 restrictions, the Authority provided flexible options to facilitate participation by stakeholders. This included accepting submissions provided to other reviews and offering virtual meetings, with the Authority meeting 33 organisations. We thank those who have taken the time to provide a submission or speak with us. These contributions have provided evidence to help inform the Authority’s review.