ESG Snapshot: Issue 117

This week's highlights include:

• ACCC tick for soft plastics scheme. At best, a new stewardship scheme will collect 20% of business-to-consumer soft plastic by FY33.
• 'It will die tonight'. An SA Greens politician has accurately surmised that state Labor would oppose a Bill to constrain fossil gas use, despite once showing interest in it.
• Transmission leap. Due mainly to transmission projects, Australia's utilities infrastructure investment pipeline is now valued at $36 billion, up $20 billion on the previous year's outlook.
• PFAS. The NSW EPA has released proposed new PFAS guidance.
• Climate scenarios. DCCEEW has released new guidance on how to use climate scenarios.
• New chief. A new chief executive has been appointed to the Climate Change Authority.
• ARENA awards $70m. Two companies will be the beneficiaries of new ARENA grants totalling $70 million.
• Planning reform. The NSW Parliament has passed a Bill that makes promoting climate resilience an object of the state's main planning law.

ESG Snapshot - powered by the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia and curated by ESG communications and content consultancy Earthed.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen will be in Belém this week, to lead Australia's COP30 delegation.

A Senate committee inquiry into the toxic algal bloom off the coast of South Australia has made recommendations including taking steps to ensure better monitoring and management of climate-induced, slow-onset and significant ecological events.

South Australia is currently experiencing one of the largest algal bloom events ever recorded in Australian waters.

The federal government has released a Nationally Determined Contribution Investment Blueprint, targeting global investors.

The blueprint summarises key opportunities arising from Australia's targets, plans and policies, and provides an overview of Australia’s investment landscape and settings. 

The ACCC has granted Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia (SPSA) and its industry members authorisation allowing them to collect and recycle used soft plastic packaging under a voluntary scheme.

The scheme has been developed by Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, Nestlé, Mars and McCormick Foods, and will be run by SPSA.

To ensure any rival soft plastic stewardship scheme's access to processing services, the ACCC imposed a condition requiring that SPSA not enter exclusive contracts with processors.

The ACCC noted advice that in 2022-2023, approximately 540,000 tonnes of soft plastic packaging was placed on the market, and only 6% was recovered.

The ACCC notes that SPSA's conservative base case forecasts that by FY33 the scheme will recover 5% of business-to-consumer soft plastic placed on the market each year in Australia.

Under more optimistic assumptions about funding and processing capacity, it says the scheme could recover up to 20% of business-to-consumer soft plastic by FY33.

SPSA advised that the initial scheme levy will be $160 per tonne of soft plastic
packaging placed on the market, equating to less than a one cent increase in costs for a small snack bar. The levy would then gradually increase in size.

The ACCC noted that some groups had raised concerns the scheme could delay the introduction of mandatory soft plastic stewardship arrangements, but it rejected those concerns.

The Climate Change Authority has announced that Kath Rowley will be its new chief executive officer.

Rowley has most recently led DCCEEW's Emissions Reduction Division, spearheading the development of the government's net zero plan and sector plans.

The Authority extended its thanks and appreciation to Brad Archer for his achievements in the role over the past seven years.

In a policy reversal that aligns with a recent National Party decision, the Liberal Party no longer supports net zero, and will axe the existing 43% emissions reduction for 2030.

"We remain committed to the Paris Agreement and to doing our fair share to reduce emissions in a way that protects household budgets and keeps our economy strong," a Liberal Party statement said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Liberals had "chosen to walk away from jobs for Australians and investment certainty that the business community have said is so necessary going forward".

"They're walking away from climate action. They fundamentally are dismissive of the science of climate change," he said.

The COP30 presidency has appointed Australia and India to assist it in matters relating to technology.

Meanwhile, videos of events hosted at Australia's COP30 pavilion are available on the DCCEEW YouTube channel.

Growing government investment in energy, as well as housing projects, has injected tens of billions into Australia’s major infrastructure pipeline - reversing a two-year decline and intensifying demand for workers, Infrastructure Australia has found. 

Infrastructure Australia's 2025 Infrastructure Market Capacity Report shows the nation's five-year major public infrastructure pipeline has grown $29 billion over the past year to reach $242 billion—its highest level since the agency started tracking investment five years ago.

Utilities infrastructure investment is projected at $36 billion, up $20 billion on the previous year's outlook. The increase is predominantly explained by additional transmission line projects.

Building projects, including social housing, are expected to rise $6 billion to $77 billion. Transport projects continue to account for more than half the total pipeline at $129 billion. 

Materials cost escalations have stabilised, but more attention is needed to ensure sovereign capability in steel and increase uptake of low emissions materials, the report says.

"Domestic steel fabrication capability presents a potential sovereign supply chain risk to a key infrastructure input," it says.

"The industry reports being under severe pressure from cheaper imports (offered at up to 50% cheaper than what local producers can viably offer) and with import volumes growing by 50%."

Consultation opportunity - estimating emissions in primary industries. DCCEEW has released draft voluntary emissions estimation and reporting guidelines for agriculture, fisheries, and forestry.

The guidelines aim to improve greenhouse gas accounting for these industries to support mitigation action and market access, reduce their reporting burden, and ensure they have access to trusted tools to understand their emissions.

Comments are due by 19 December.

Consultation opportunity - using climate scenarios. DCCEEW has released draft guidance on using climate scenarios that describe possible future climates. Comments are due by 19 December.

ARENA has awarded a grant of $45 million to Fortescue to support the deployment of its Solar Innovation Hub in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

The hub aims to identify and overcome key barriers to cost-effective solar deployment through targeted trials of solar innovations that have the potential to reduce costs and fast-track scalable solutions, ARENA said.

Meanwhile, ARENA has also awarded a $25.3 million grant to SunDrive, to help it scale and commercialise its copper metallisation solar cell technology.

SunDrive’s copper-based process replaces silver in solar cells, aiming to cut costs and improve efficiency. 

Transcript is now available from last Wednesday's Senate committee hearing on information integrity in climate and energy, and transcript from last Thursday's hearing will be available shortly.

The Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Unconventional Gas and Large Coal Mines has started work on its eighth Explanatory Note, which will focus on incorporating climate change into environmental assessments.

Work on the note is revealed in the committee's annual review of activities for FY25.

Consultation opportunity - land purchases. As part of efforts by the federal government to protect and conserve 30% of Australia's land and 30% of its oceans by 2030, it is seeking views on the strategic land purchase component of its new $250 million Australian Bushland Program.

The government is seeking feedback from potential partners interested in working together to voluntarily purchase and protect properties with high biodiversity value.

Open consultations:

• Environmental standards. The federal government has released a draft National Environmental Standard on Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES), and another on environmental offsets. Comments are due by 30 January. (A Norton Rose Fulbright summary of the draft standards can be found here.)

The latest Track Changes pod is out, featuring Vanuatu's Climate and Environment Minister, Ralph Regenvanu! Tune in on your favourite podcast platform!

Organisations including Jet Zero, Licella Holdings, and Queensland Treasury will give evidence at a 19 November hearing of a parliamentary committee inquiry into sugarcane bioenergy opportunities.

Rail freight company Aurizon has signed a new agreement with CleanCo that will result in 25% of its electricity coming from renewable sources.

The state government said the agreement strengthens Queensland's coal export supply chain.

The Queensland government has released a draft Far North Queensland Regional Plan.  

Statutory development - planning. The NSW Parliament has passed the Planning System Reforms Bill, which establishes a new Development Coordination Authority, and streamlines planning legislation.

The Bill also inserts a new object in the state's main planning law, which is "to promote resilience to climate change and natural disasters through adaptation, mitigation, preparedness and prevention".

Statutory development - water. The NSW Parliament has passed legislation to strengthen penalties for water theft.

Consultation opportunity - PFAS. The NSW EPA has released a draft Landfill and Sewage Treatment Plant PFAS Monitoring Chemical Control Order, which aims to introduce consistent, science-based PFAS monitoring of leachate and groundwater at landfills and sewage treatment plants.

Comments are due by 10 February.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition an EIS to expand Central Waste Station's resource recovery facility at Kurri Kurri so that it can process up to 450,000 tonnes of waste annually, up from the current level of 90,000 tonnes.

The NSW government has placed on exhibition an EIS for the establishment of a bioenergy facility at Cleanaway's Lucas Heights landfill to capture landfill gas and use it to generate electricity.

The new 22MW facility would replace the existing power station, which has been operating for nearly 30 years and is approaching the end of its design life.

It would have the capacity to generate up to 190,000MWh annually, equivalent to powering around 30,000 homes and reducing more than one million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

The EPA has released the NSW Plastics Plan 2.0 that sets out next steps to reduce plastic waste.

Proposed measures include legislation requiring restaurants and cafes to accept reusable cups, and requiring large food service businesses to offer a reusable cup option.

The NSW Natural Resources Commission has released submissions to its review of options to further protect and restore biodiversity and ecosystem functions in regional landscapes, and enhance value and support for landholders. 

The NSW Investment Delivery Authority has received 48 expressions of interest linked to major investment proposals worth a total of $136 billion, in its first round of expressions of interest.

A total of 22 of the projects, valued at $63 billion, relate to renewable energy and energy security.

Expressions of interest from the first round are now being evaluated. Eligible projects must demonstrate that they are able to begin work quickly and will benefit from the government resolving barriers.

Grant opportunity - electricity metering. The NSW government is offering grants totalling $4.5 million to help medium-to-large organisations to invest in electricity metering and monitoring solutions that better track their energy usage.

The state government has released Victoria's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2023, which it says shows the Victorian economy grew by more than 57% between 2005 and 2023, while emissions dropped more than 31%.

"The report showed Victorians emitted less greenhouse emissions per person than the national average," Climate Change Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said.

Emissions from the electricity sector have dropped by 39% since 2005, the report shows.

Since last year, the state government has unlocked more than $7.8 billion of investment across 22 renewable energy projects approved through its streamlined renewable energy approvals process, the Minister said.

Victoria's 2023-24 Water Accounts show that rainfall ranged from the lowest on record in the state's south-west to above average in parts of the northern country, central Victoria and around Sale.

Water storage levels fell during the year to 82%, down from 92%. Total water use was roughly 15% higher than the previous year. Of the water used:

• 57% supported irrigation.
• 22% delivered environmental benefits to rivers and wetlands.
• 17% supplied towns and cities.
• 3% was used for rural domestic and stock use.
• 2% was used for power generation.

The SA Labor government has sided with the Liberals to vote down a Bill introduced by Greens MLC Robert Simms that would have made it illegal to require a land owner to have or use a fossil gas connection.

A version of the Bill was first introduced by a former Greens MLC in 2018.

"It is my recollection that the then Labor opposition supported the bill and indicated that it was something they were very interested in moving on, were they to return to government," Simms told the Upper House.

"Well, here we are, in the dying days of this term and no action has been taken, so I have no choice but to bring the bill to a vote, and I suspect it will die tonight," Simms said.

As predicted by Simms, the Bill was defeated, by 17 votes to two.

The WA EPA has released the EIS for Alinta Energy's proposed 550MW Marri wind farm.

The wind farm's capacity equates to approximently 10% of the current demand for electricity through the Southwest Interconnected System. 

The EPA has released a consolidated Environmental Impact Assessment Practice Guide that will replace the existing administrative procedures and procedures manual.

It will come into effect on 1 January.

Get BCSDAi TL-DR - your three-minute brief! 

Plain-English signals and actions on climate, nature, circularity, equity and accountability — in ~3 minutes, with links to primary sources. Choose your streams. Delivered to your inbox.

Woodside’s Browse gas project is unlikely to be competitive either domestically or internationally, according to a new analysis from the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

Services that are tracking developments include the COP30 insights tracker produced by international think tank E3G, and Climate Home News.

"For 20 years, young people have been a driving force of the climate process — its conscience and its courage," UN Secretary-General António Guterres has told a youth climate conference in Belém.

"You've shown that change comes from boldness, not complacency," Guterres said.

"So, keep demanding real, lasting results.  Make your voices heard — in the streets, in the courts, at the ballot box and at the negotiating table," he said. 

"Don’t take 'no' for an answer.  Because this fight is not only about climate — it is about justice, solidarity and the right to live with dignity on a healthy planet."

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has released a second draft of its revised Corporate Net-Zero Standard for public comment.

A Norwegian Court of Appeal has agreed with Greenpeace Nordic and Natur og Ungdom (Young Friends of the Earth Norway) that three oil field concessions awarded in the Norwegian North Sea are illegal.

The appeal court agreed that states are obliged to assess climate effects from the burning of oil and gas outside of Norway before approving the concessions.

"A pivotal issue for energy security in the Age of Electricity is the speed at which new grids, storage and other sources of power system flexibility are put in place," according to the International Energy Agency, which has just released its latest World Energy Outlook.

"For the moment, some of these elements are lagging. Investments in electricity generation have charged ahead by almost 70% since 2015, but annual grid spending has risen at less than half that pace," the IEA said.

"Electricity is at the heart of modern economies, and electricity demand grows much faster than overall energy use in all scenarios," it said.

Listen to an IEA podcast about the World Energy Outlook here.

"Belém marks a turning point for global climate action," says a letter released by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and co-signed by groups including BCSDA.

"Ten years after the Paris Agreement, we are moving beyond negotiating text to accelerating implementation. The shift is happening because the process is working – now we need to close the gaps."

"For our business members, who represent over a quarter of global revenues, the challenge is no longer understanding the economic rationale," the letter says.

"They need this COP, and future COPs, to use their unique convening power to enable businesses and governments to move faster together by tackling the barriers to scaling investments and solutions."

As carbon pricing continues to expand across countries and sectors, design choices are becoming increasingly diverse and flexible, according to a new OECD report.

Design measures "reflect a variety of policy objectives including reducing emissions, raising public revenue, and strengthening energy affordability, energy security, and competitiveness", the report says.

The share of greenhouse gas emissions subject to a carbon tax or covered by an emissions trading scheme reached almost 27% in 2023, up from 15% in 2018, across the 79 countries analysed in the report.

Australian news items in all issues of ESG Snapshot can be searched by relevant Sustainable Development Goal category. To do this, click on the '17 SDGs' link at the top of this web page, or on any of the SDG keys below.

Click to search via SDG