Media Statement - 6th June 2007
A Rudd Labor Government will set up a national standard for carbon offsets to ensure consumer confidence in the rapidly growing carbon offset market.
In recent months, there has been concern that some of the carbon offsets consumers are purchasing are not genuine; that they have been illegitimately resold; or will not achieve the carbon offset amount marketed.
Australian families and businesses don’t want to be tricked by the “green shoe brigade” they want to do their part in combating climate change and they deserve to know their efforts are making an impact.
By establishing a national standard for carbon offsets, a Rudd Labor Government will assist consumers to address some of these concerns.
Australian consumers are increasingly purchasing carbon offsets in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint or to “go carbon neutral.”
Federal Labor’s national standard for carbon offsets will:
- Build on existing schemes to minimise duplication;
- Provide national consistency:
- Include minimum standards for offsets;
- Require ongoing management where necessary to ensure integrity;
- Require credits to be cancelled when used to provide an offset;
- Require all products on the market to be accredited:
- Include appropriate verification and validation protocols:
- Take international developments into consideration; and
- Include standard carbon neutral calculations.
In combination with demand management and renewable energy use, carbon offsets can make a real difference to the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Labor will develop the standard and its administration by December 31 2008 as an integral part of preparation for emissions trading.
Australians from all walks of life are going carbon neutral – the AFL, the Insurance Australia Group, even Felix Riebl, lead singer of the top selling Australian band the Cat Empire.
To go carbon neutral consumers purchase offset products - such as trees planted to ‘sequester’ emissions, or investment in emission reductions elsewhere in the economy – to “off set” the emissions that individual consumer or business produces.
A loss of confidence in the carbon offset market could mean this important emissions reduction strategy would no longer be pursued by environmentally conscious consumers.
That is why a Rudd Labor Government will intrdoduce a national standard to ensure that consumers are actually getting what they believe they are paying for.
Just as we have government accredited Green Power, we now need a national standard for carbon offsetting.
Labor’s national standard for carbon offsets will draw on the current standards that are used in Australia including:
- The Federal Government’s Greenhouse Friendly Program;
- The NSW Greenhouse Gas Reduction Scheme – which allows NSW Greenhouse Gas Abatement Certificates to be created; and
- The Mandatory Renewable Energy Target which allows Renewable Energy Certificates to be created.
These schemes can be used by carbon neutral product providers in Australia, but the range of products and standards does little to assist consumers buying from non-accredited offset sellers.
By introducing an easy to understand and nationally recognised standard a Rudd Labor Government will ensure that Australian consumers and business who want to go carbon neutral are not being ripped off.