Climate Change Authority to review offset assessment principles

The Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction, the Hon Angus Taylor MP, has written to the Climate Change Authority requesting a review of the use of international carbon offsets in Australia in the context of the Paris Agreement. The request, made under section 59 of the Climate Change Authority Act 2011, seeks advice on the criteria for the future use of international offsets under Climate Active(Opens in a new tab/window) and for their creation and use under the Indo-Pacific Carbon Offset Scheme(Opens in a new tab/window).

Climate Active is an Australian Government program that provides a carbon neutral certification standard for use by businesses and organisations to demonstrate they have credibly reached net zero emissions. Climate Active supports Australian business to measure, reduce, and offset their carbon emissions.

The Indo-Pacific Carbon Offsets Scheme is an Australian-led initiative that aims to boost public and private investment in climate action and practical low-emissions projects in the Indo-Pacific region. The Australian Government intends to work with participating countries to generate and trade emissions offsets, ensuring high standards of environmental integrity and social and economic benefits for local communities.

The review is timely given the agreement reached at the international climate conference in Glasgow in November 2021 (COP26) on the ‘Article 6’ rules for Paris Agreement carbon markets, and the increasing focus globally on implementation of Paris Agreement targets.

As requested, the Authority will provide its advice by 30 June 2022. We anticipate commencing public consultation in March, with further details made available at that time. Please submit any questions to enquiries@climatechangeauthority.gov.au

Terms of reference [PDF(Opens in a new tab/window)]

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