Lecture on carbon price and carbon management in Local Government

1. Deakin University Centre for
Sustainable and Responsible
Organisations (CSaRO)
Carbon Management Public Seminar:
Local Government, Sustain Group Fact
Sheet
www.sustaingroup.net

2. This fact sheet should be taken with the general presentation give to Victorian Local Government
th
representatives and interested parties as part of the public seminar held at Deakin University on the 16 of
July 2012. For more information on carbon price implications please contact the team at
lgcarbonproject@sustaingroup.net
Covered in this fact sheet:
1. Speaker Bio: Matthew Tukaki, CEO of the Sustain Group
2. About Carbon Farming and Local Government
3. “Local Government Action for a Low Carbon Future” paper released in June 2012:
4. Best Practice Example: Auckland City Council
5. Liable Entities Database: Checking for suppliers who may be liable
Issues:
1. Speaker Bio: Matthew Tukaki, CEO of the Sustain Group: Matthew Tukaki is the CEO and
Executive Chairman of the Sustain Group and Australia’s Representative to the United Nations Global
Compact. Matthew also sits on a number of public and private sector Boards including Australia’s
Peak mental health body, Suicide Prevention Australia and the National Indigenous Chamber of
Commerce as well as chairing the Living Earth Initiative, a concept that encourages young people to
participate more fully in local and community ecology, and as a Director of the Board of the United
Nations Global Compact Network in Australia. Matthew is a leader in the field of transitioning
business and government towards a low carbon economy and is respected for his work in the areas of
sustainability, the green economy and green jobs. Matthew is also one of Asia Pacific’s most
respected employment and labor commentators having previously led the nation’s oldest and largest
labor and employment companies, Drake International. Matthew is also a recognized leader in the
field of knowledge management having conducted operational reviews into the Joint House
Department of the Parliament of Australia and the Australian Communications Authority. Mr. Tukaki
is also widely regarded for his work in the education space across developing countries and regions
having been responsible for the development of higher and technical education systems in South
Africa, Indonesia and South East Asia. He is a former Chairman of the CIO Council, the Australian
Government Policy Advisory Panel, and member of the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s Tender
Evaluation Panel for School Management Systems and Chairman of the Skills for Schools for Initiative.
2. About Carbon Farming and Local Government: 1The Carbon Farming Initiative is part of the
Australian Governments new suite of policies and legislation on reducing the nation’s carbon
emissions. The CFI allows farmers and land managers to earn carbon credits by storing carbon or
reducing greenhouse gas emissions on the land. These credits can then be sold to people and
business wishing to offset their emissions. Specifically, the CFI is a carbon offset scheme. Local
Government is amongst the largest single landholders group in Australia and, therefore, may be
eligible to be part of the scheme when the application guidelines are released in 2012. Local
Government also bear a significant burden in terms of direct liability and will feel the carbon price
impacts both directly and indirectly through the supply chain. It could be the case that identified land
could be used to develop Carbon Farming Initiatives that could in turn mitigate Council’s own liability,
but also provide a source of carbon credit purchasing for other directly liable entities in the local
government area. Notwithstanding there is also the opportunity for carbon credits to be purchased
from other liable entities outside of the local government area such as business and industry. A range
1
Taken from the website of the Department of Climate Change to ensure clarity over the definition
www.sustaingroup.net

3. of landholder groups are looking into the CFI and work is being carried out to identify various projects.
For more information see: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/cfi/ or contact Sustain @
lgcarbonproject@sustaingroup.net
3. “Local Government Action for a Low Carbon Future” paper released in June 2012: As
discussed during the presentation this paper is the most recent in terms of research and analysis that
has been published specifically on the subject of carbon and its implications on local government.
Some of the key points relate to the use of software applications to assess carbon intensity and
footprint as well as the need for deeper collaboration (and the benefits thereof). The report has been
jointly published by the Australian Centre for Excellence for Local Government and the Council of
Capital City Lord Mayors. For more information and to download a copy of the full report:
http://www.acelg.org.au/upload/program1/1340074932_Final_Local_Action_for_a_Low_Carbon_Fut
ure_13jun2012_lowres.pdf
4. Best Practice Example: Auckland City Council: as discussed, Auckland City Council has faced
a similar series of challenges and issues as it relates to carbon pricing and emissions trading
legislation. Over the last two to three years the Council has done a significant amount of work on
developing not only its plans, but risk, mitigation and operational planning initiatives. The Council has
recently released “the Auckland Plan” and it has a significant amount of information that participants
and project members may find useful. The plan can be downloaded here:
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/newseventsculture/OurAuckland/Documents/Auckland%20
Plan_OurAuckland.pdf and you will find links to energy and climate change mitigation here:
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/planspoliciesprojects/plansstrategies/theaucklandplan/clima
techangemitigationstrategy/Pages/home.aspx
5. Liable Entities Database: Checking for suppliers who may be liable: The list of currently
liable entities is now available through the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Regulator. These
are the liable entities for financial year 2012-13. We advise checking the list for entities who may be in
your supply chain and, therefore, be aware of the potential for carbon price pass through (explained
in the presentation). The database can be downloaded here:
http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/Carbon-Pricing-Mechanism/Liable-Entities-Public-
Information-Database/LEPID-for-2012-13-Financial-year/Pages/default.aspx
For more information: www.sustaingroup.net or email lgcarbonproject@sustaingroup.net
www.sustaingroup.net