ESG Snapshot: Issue 3
Highlights include an SA carbon bill, a national review of community engagement on renewables infrastructure, and a NSW issues paper on biodiversity credits.
Events include a commercial heat pumps tour and a webinar on product stewardship effectiveness. Jobs include an emerging trends role with South32, and a Net Zero Economy Agency talent pool.
ESG Snapshot is a concise weekly update for C-suite executives and sustainability and climate professionals in Australia.
ESG Snapshot is produced by the Business Council of Sustainable Development Australia (BCSDA), which is the local network partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
News items are listed by jurisdiction. However, they can also be searched by relevant SDG category. To do this, go to the SDG key at the end of this issue and click on the SDG icon that is of interest to you.
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Consultation opportunity. The New Zealand government is canvassing views on a proposed biodiversity credit system, with comments due by 3 November.
The International Maritime Organisation has adopted new emissions reduction targets for global shipping.
The communique from the 4 July meeting between Indonesia's President Joko Widodo and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese refers to climate change initiatives including a new $50 million to support clean energy projects in Indonesian small businesses.
The European Court of Auditors has issued a report on whether European Commission action had been effective in influencing circular-economy activities in the member states.
The EU's Regulation on deforestration free supply chains entered into force on 29 June. The Regulation requires companies placing palm oil, beef, soy, coffee, cocoa, timber or rubber on the EU market to conduct due diligence to show the products didn't contribute to deforestation or forest degradation.
Consultation opportunity. Submissions to the review of New Zealand's emissions trading scheme are due by August 11.
MinterEllison partner and head of climate change and sustainability, Sarah Barker, has been appointed co-chair of the World Economic Forum's Climate Governance Community of Experts.
The Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner will lead a review into community engagement practices relating to the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure, which will report to Minister Chris Bowen by the end of the year.
Consultation opportunity. The government is seeking views until 18 July on exposure draft legislation to introduce the Small Business Energy Incentive that will help small and medium businesses electrify their operations. Businesses with aggregated annual turnover of less than $50 million will have access to a bonus 20% tax deduction in FY24 for the cost of eligible depreciating assets.
Consultation opportunity. The federal government is seeking views by 3 August on its planned $2 billion Hydrogen Headstart program, which aims to support the deployment of up to 1GW of electrolyser capacity by 2030.
Grant opportunity. The federal government has released program opportunity guidelines for the $600 million Powering the Regions Fund's Safeguard Transformation Stream, ahead of the 7 August opening of applications for grants of up to $50 million.
The federal government has gazetted the Industrial Chemicals (General) Amendment (Rotterdam Convention) Rules 2023, which tighten restrictions on the importation of PFOA and on the importation of the fire retardant known as decaBDE.
Grant opportunity. ARENA has invited expressions by 1 November for grants under a $30 million funding initiative to reduce emissions in the aviation sector, following the government's launch last month of a long-anticipated Australian Jet-Zero Council.
Consultation opportunity. The federal government is seeking views by 18 August on a proposed revamp of the national hydrogen strategy.
The Clean Energy Regulator has opened the Emissions and Energy Reporting System portal for the reporting of FY23 NGER data.
Consultation opportunity. The federal environment department (DCCEEW) is consulting on regulating waste from small electrical items and PV infrastructure, with a webinar scheduled for 11 July and submissions due by 23 July.
The Senate committee inquiry into the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Amendment (Using New Technologies to Fight Climate Change) Bill has released submissions made on the bill.
ACCUs last traded on the spot market at $28.25, with spot Human-Induced Regeneration ACCUs trading at $29.75, according to broker Jarden.
The Office of the Chief Economist has released the June 2023 issue of the Resources and Energy Quarterly, which forecasts that Australian energy export earnings are set to fall noticeably.
Transcript is now available of recent public hearings convened by the Senate committee inquiry into plastic pollution in oceans and waterways.
Grant opportunity. Applications are open until 24 July for grants to land managers under the $17.5 million federal Carbon Farming Outreach program.
Consultation opportunity. The Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water invite comments by 31 July on a prototype dashboard to support environmental-economic accounting in Australia.
Consultation opportunity. Comments close 14 July on proposals to introduce regulatory controls on noxious emissions from non-road diesel engines.
Fugitive methane emissions from coal, gas and oil projects in Australia are significantly higher than national estimates, concludes a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, which compares national estimates to estimates from the International Energy Agency's methane tracker.
The Queensland Audit Office has released a report on managing invasive species, which recommends a review of the Biosecurity Act 2014.
The Queensland and German governments have launched a $3 million net-zero economy collaborative research program that will focus on matters including biofuels.
Consultation opportunity. The state government is seeking views on options to better protect the Queensland section of the Lake Eyre Basin, with comments due by 25 August.
Consultation opportunity. Submissions are due by 4 August on an IPART issues paper on NSW's biodiversity credit market.
Award opportunity. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2023 NSW Sustainability Awards. Entries close 8 September.
Bids close 12 July for the third Biodiversity Credits Supply Fund reverse auction, which seeks to buy credits that are on a target list.
The state government has gazetted version nine of the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target guidelines.
The state government has gazetted an amendment to the Victoria Planning Provisions that aims to clarify noise requirements for wind farms.
Consultation opportunity. The Essential Services Commission is seeking submissions by 27 July on a proposed enforceable code of practice for electricity transmission companies using their legal powers to access private land.
As part of work to develop a Renewable Energy Zone in North-West Tasmania, Renewables Climate Future Industries Tasmania has this month launched a REZ 'Mapping Important Places' initiative.
Statutory Development. Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Susan Close, has introduced the Pastoral Land Management and Conservation (Use of Pastoral Land) Amendment Bill, which ensures that pastoral leases can be used for carbon farming and conservation.
Consultation opportunity. Comments are due by 13 August on the state government's green paper on the energy transition, with comments due by 13 August.
The EPA has released an Aquatic Ecosystem Conditions Report for the Southern Spencer Gulf marine ecosystem.
Consultation opportunity. Submissions are due by 11 August to Parliament's Public Accounts committee inquiry into how the state government's progress in achieving ESG outcomes is assisting international investment. The committee will report in August next year.
Consultation opportunity. Submissions are due by 11 July on WA's waste strategy review.
The state government has announced 37 finalists for the 2023 WasteSorted Awards.
The Marine Stewardship Council has recertified Western Australia's pearling industry under its sustainability standard. The MSC first certified the pearling industry in 2017.
Consultation opportunity. The EPA is inviting comments by 20 July on whether a research pilot project in the Gulf of Carpentaria, proposed by Blue Carbon S2C Pty Ltd, should undergo environmental assessment.
Consultation opportunity. The EPA is inviting submissions on whether to assess the proposed clearing of 4,517 hectares of land on Mathison Station, with comments due by 26 July.
Consultation opportunity. The Territory government is inviting submissions by 4 August on a proposed new mineral royalty scheme.
ANU is offering a climate essentials professional short course on 15 August.
The Monash Sustainable Development Institute is running a two-day course on climate change and business risk, on July 19 and 20 ($2,970).
LRQA is offering training courses on the ISO50001 standard on energy management.
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