Senate debates

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — Customs) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — Excise) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — General) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Amendment (Household Assistance) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

In Committee

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10:16 pm

 

Photo of Penny WongPenny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

The offsets aspect of the proposal indicates:

The Government will introduce amendments to provide for crediting of abatement from agricultural emissions and other sectors not covered by the CPRS … that are counted towards Australia’s international climate change obligations …

This is subject to the development of robust methodologies. In that section there is a reference to ‘avoided deforestation’. Second, in the voluntary market offsets section there is reference to the voluntary market opportunities in relation to enhanced forest management. In addition, the government has said it will:

  • provide credits for regrowth forests on deforested land (legally cleared between 1990 and 31 December 2008);
  • provide credits for soil carbon on deforested land (for land legally cleared between 1990 and 31 December 2008) from 2013;
  • include conditions for forests earning forest credits to have adequate water entitlements and planning approvals; and
  • require that offset projects do not involve, or include material obtained as a result of, clearing or harvesting of native forests.

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