Clean Energy Regulator
{{Short description|Australian climate change organisation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name = Clean Energy Regulator
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| formed = {{Start date|2012|04|02|df=y}}
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| jurisdiction = Commonwealth of Australia
| headquarters = Canberra
| region_code = AUS
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| budget = Clean Energy Regulator Budget information is located [http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/About/Pages/Accountability%20and%20reporting/Budget/Budget-2017-18.aspx here]
| minister1_name = The Hon Chris Bowen MP,
| minister1_pfo = Minister for Climate Change and Energy
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| chief1_name = David Parker AM
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| agency_type = Statutory Authority
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| parent_department = Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
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| website = {{URL|http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/}}
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The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) is an Australian independent statutory authority responsible for implementing legislation to reduce carbon emissions and increase the use of clean energy. It was established on 2 April 2012{{Cite web|url=http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/About|title=Clean Energy Regulator - about|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}} through the Clean Energy Regulator Act 2011{{Cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2011A00163|title=Australian Government Federal Register of Legislation|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}} and is part of the Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio. It is headquartered in Canberra.
The CER is responsible for administering schemes to report on and manage greenhouse gas emissions, including monitoring and enforcing compliance. These include Australia's carbon offsets and credits schemes.
In the 2020s, the body faced allegations that its carbon offsets were of poor integrity, and that it had not addressed governance problems such as conflicts of interest.
Schemes
The Clean Energy Regulator administers schemes legislated by the Australian Government for measuring, managing, reducing or offsetting Australia's carbon emissions. These are:
- The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme and the safeguard mechanism (established under the [http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/C2007A00175 National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007]);
- The Emissions Reduction Fund (established under the [http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/C2011A00101/Compilations Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011]);
- The Renewable Energy Target (established under the [http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/C2004A00767 Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000]);
- The Australian National Registry of Emissions Units (established under the [http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/C2011A00099 Australian National Registry of Emissions Units Act 2011]).
Reporting
The Clean Energy Regulator’s [http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/Infohub/Markets/Pages/Quarterly-Carbon-Market-Reports.aspx Quarterly Carbon Market Reports] provide a regular view of supply and demand across the carbon markets schemes it administers and explores key factors that influence market performance. The report also provides information on trends and opportunities that may inform market decisions.
The Clean Energy Regulator also administers the [http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/Infohub/Markets/cert-report Corporate Emissions Reduction Transparency (CERT)] report. The CERT report is a voluntary initiative that provides companies with a consistent framework for reporting their emissions reduction and renewable electricity commitments.
Integrity concerns
The Clean Energy Regulator has faced various allegations that its carbon offset scheme does not effectively reduce emissions.
In 2021, the Australia Institute found that offsets for avoided deforestation do not meet integrity standards.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-22 |title=Questionable integrity: Non-additionality in the Emissions Reduction Fund’s Avoided Deforestation Method |url=https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/questionable-integrity-non-additionality-in-the-emissions-reduction-funds-avoided-deforestation-method/ |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=The Australia Institute |language=en-US}} The report found that the total offsets for avoided land clearing were far greater than the amount of land which would have otherwise been cleared. For these offsets to represent real avoided emissions, the institute estimated that the land clearing rate would have needed to be 751% to 12,804% larger.
In 2022, further allegations were made by Andrew Macintosh, the former chair of the body overseeing the Emissions Reduction Fund.{{Cite web |title=We blew the whistle on carbon credits. Here’s what a probe must fix |url=https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2022/07/we-blew-the-whistle-on-carbon-credits--heres-what-a-probe-must-f |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=UNSW Sites |language=en}} Macintosh provided analysis that 80% of the carbon offsets available under the CER's scheme were low-integrity offsets, which did not represent real reductions in overall emissions.{{Cite news |date=2022-03-23 |title='It's become a rort': Insider blows whistle on Australia's greenhouse gas reduction schemes |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-24/insider-blows-whistle-on-greenhouse-gas-reduction-schemes/100933186 |access-date=2024-09-16 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}} These included the CER's three biggest offsetting methods - re-generation of land, avoided deforestation, and a landfill gas scheme. The CER defended the integrity of the scheme.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-25 |title=Clean Energy Regulator defends carbon offset scheme as Labor flags review |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/clean-energy-regulator-defends-carbon-offset-scheme-as-labor-flags-review/ |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=RenewEconomy |language=en-AU}}
Ahead of the 2022 federal election, the Labor Party promised an independent review of the integrity of the scheme. After winning power, the Albanese government initiated the review, and named Ian Chubb as its leader.{{Cite web |last=Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |title=Independent Review of Australian Carbon Credit Units |url=https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction/independent-review-accus |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=DCCEEW}} The review found that the scheme's methods were sound, and considered that transparency could be improved. However, the review did recommend the CER stop granting offsets for avoided deforestation, due to the difficulty of assessing intent to clear land.{{Cite web |last=DCCEEW |date=December 2022 |title=Independent Review of Australian Carbon Credit Units: Final Report - Recommendations and Key Findings |url=https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/independent-review-accu-exec-summary.pdf |access-date=17 September 2024 |website=DCCEEW}} Macintosh wrote that the review had failed to produce evidence to back up its analysis, and had ignored the findings of a report it had commissioned from the Australian Academy of Science.{{Cite web |last=Macintosh |first=Andrew |last2=Butler |first2=Don |date=2023-01-09 |title=Chubb review of Australia’s carbon credit scheme falls short – and problems will continue to fester |url=https://theconversation.com/chubb-review-of-australias-carbon-credit-scheme-falls-short-and-problems-will-continue-to-fester-197401 |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}}
In 2024, an audit found that the CER had failed to manage conflicts of interest and investigate fraud, and had intimidated scientists seeking to provide submissions.{{Cite web |last=Grieve |first=Charlotte |last2=Fox Koob |first2=Simon |date=2024-09-15 |title=‘Extreme risk’: Carbon watchdog mismanaged conflicts, ‘intimidated’ scientists |url=https://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/extreme-risk-carbon-watchdog-mismanaged-conflicts-intimidated-scientists-20240910-p5k9gh.html |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=The Age |language=en}} One academic stated that the body had been "captured" by the Carbon Market Institute, an industry lobby group which includes fossil fuel companies.
See also
{{Portal|Australia|Renewable energy|Global warming}}
- List of Australian Commonwealth Government entities
- Mitigation of global warming in Australia
- Australian Renewable Energy Agency
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