Browsing: <a href="/tag/energy-efficiency">Energy efficiency</a> <i class="grey">•</i> <a href="/tag/offsets">Offsets</a>

• Water planning rules need review: Victorian Tribunal
  
• Victoria establishes smart meter advisory council
  
• CO2 Australia tests new eucalypt in first Queensland project
  
• Queensland reviews licensing regulations for solar hot water installations

• Experts call for action to halt decline in corporate sustainability reporting
  
• Two ways to target efficiency improvements in major new projects: Energetics
  
• Government announces CFI carbon credits panel
  
• $200 million renewables fund open for business
  
• ActewAGL refers 20MW solar plant; AGL buys Silverton wind farm

Cutting emissions to 40% below 1990 by 2020 will cost each Canberran $216 or deliver them a net benefit of $82.99, depending on how it's done, according to studies released today by the ACT Government.

• Victoria confirms energy efficiency scheme change
  
• Comment sought on new "carbon farming" activities
  
• Victorian agencies back new emissions calculator

The Victorian Government will introduce a bill mandating that the State cut greenhouse gas emissions to 20% below 2000 levels by 2020, give its EPA new powers to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and create a green carbon offsets scheme, says its long-awaited climate change white paper.

• NSW schedules briefing on energy efficiency scheme
  
• Offsets and green power behind EPA Victoria's higher carbon costs
  
• EPA Victoria renews partnership with PACIA

• Garrett flags mandatory energy efficiency disclosure for commercial buildings
  
• Mobil hit with $13 million clean-up bill and record penalty
  
• NSW launches energy efficiency schemes
  
• Funding support might be key, says cement firm
  
• Newmont signs offset deal with CO2 Group

The Queensland Budget has massively increased funding for the state EPA.

Designers of emissions trading schemes seem unable to see the wood products for the trees, NSW government research officer Fabiano Ximenes has told ABARE's Outlook 2008 conference.



Although carbon sink forests are recognised as offsets, no scheme in the world yet recognises carbon stored in timber. Yet research by Ximenes shows much of this carbon remains stored for "at least 100 years". He says Australia's emissions trading scheme should value this major benefit and a new research project could show how to do it.

Premier Paul Lennon yesterday laid out in state parliament a climate change strategy which will see Tasmania become the second Australian state to mandate a 60% emissions cut by 2050 and which will also introduce a state-based carbon offsets scheme.



Meanwhile, the Garnaut Review has put back by one week the release of its emissions trading paper and rescheduled Professor Garnaut's speech on trading.