For the global sustainability community,
the most effective catalyst of change
has long been seen as the informed
self-interest of the mainstream financial
community: if banks and investors
could be convinced of the proximity of
environmental risk or societal impacts,
then it has been assumed that capital
diverted from ‘unsustainable’ practices
would render all other interventions
unnecessary. In practice though, the
sustainability community has found
the financial sector a hard nut to crack.
Although recent years have seen a
substantial increase in the integration of
environmental, social and governance
(ESG) data forming part of investment
analysis, the continued emphasis on shortterm
results and incentives has pushed
longer-term environmental risks, such as
climate change, outside of the boundary
of risks contemplated by mainstream
analysts. That is, until recently.
Sustainability is a key driver of many developments world-wide,
and quite notably for power systems, t, thanks to the December
2015 Paris Agreement on climate protection with its actionable
worldwide consensus and the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in September 2015.
CIGRE, as the ‘global expert community for electric power
systems’, must and wants to support is engaged in supporting
the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and sustainability in general, and
pursues sustainable electricity for all.
This Reference Paper describes how CIGRE contributes
to global sustainability and the SDGs, partly by adhering
to sustainable organizational practices itself, but even more
importantly by supporting many SDGs through its global work
related to energy, emissions, and climate change. This paper thus
lays the foundation to focus CIGRE’s work more systematically
on sustainability; and for the Technical Council to include
further aspects of sustainability in the next strategic plan on
which CIGRE’s work should focus.
UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) Research Director Professor Jim Watson talks about "The Need for Green Technologies" at the Green Technologies: Drivers, Barriers and Gatekeepers ASSAf / Dept of Science and Technology Symposium, 10 September 2013.
Benjamin Sovacool "The Nordic Low-Carbon Transition: Implications and Insights for Researchers and Practitioners" Keynote Energy Cultures Conference 2016
Mary Jo Lavelle "Adopting the energy cultures framework to promote pro-environmental behavioural change on the island of Ireland." Lightening Talk Energy Cultures Conference 2016
Sustainability is a key driver of many developments world-wide,
and quite notably for power systems, t, thanks to the December
2015 Paris Agreement on climate protection with its actionable
worldwide consensus and the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in September 2015.
CIGRE, as the ‘global expert community for electric power
systems’, must and wants to support is engaged in supporting
the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and sustainability in general, and
pursues sustainable electricity for all.
This Reference Paper describes how CIGRE contributes
to global sustainability and the SDGs, partly by adhering
to sustainable organizational practices itself, but even more
importantly by supporting many SDGs through its global work
related to energy, emissions, and climate change. This paper thus
lays the foundation to focus CIGRE’s work more systematically
on sustainability; and for the Technical Council to include
further aspects of sustainability in the next strategic plan on
which CIGRE’s work should focus.
UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) Research Director Professor Jim Watson talks about "The Need for Green Technologies" at the Green Technologies: Drivers, Barriers and Gatekeepers ASSAf / Dept of Science and Technology Symposium, 10 September 2013.
Benjamin Sovacool "The Nordic Low-Carbon Transition: Implications and Insights for Researchers and Practitioners" Keynote Energy Cultures Conference 2016
Mary Jo Lavelle "Adopting the energy cultures framework to promote pro-environmental behavioural change on the island of Ireland." Lightening Talk Energy Cultures Conference 2016
SHOWCASES OF SUCCESSFUL RENEWABLE ENERGY FINANCINGEvert Albers
This brochure highlights innovative solutions for renewable energy financing and gives recommendations to Govern-ments. The materials are provided by contributors who are working or have a direct contact with the projects. The tar-get audiences of the brochure are policy makers, as well as private stakeholders such as: project developers, project owners, financiers, consultants, etc.
The following renewable energy projects are included: all biomass, geothermal, solar, tidal and wind projects of diversi-fied size, ranging from 0.2 MW to 600 MW, and across OECD countries, particularly in this book: Chile, Estonia, Germa-ny, Latvia, Netherlands, Scotland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America.
The projects are arranged alphabetically, based on the name of category and the name of the projects. The project allo-cation into each category is only relative, some projects could belong to more than one category.
This year's SITE Energy Day was devoted to discussing the consequences of oil price fluctuations for markets and actors of the economy. The half-day conference engaged policy-oriented scholars and experts from the business community to discuss the impact of oil price fluctuations on macro fundamentals, international trade, strategies of oil cartels, strategic risk management, and opportunities for change in energy systems.
Luca De Lorenzo, Senior Researcher at Stockholm Environment Institute, gave a presentation "Low oil prices and the new climate economy: constraint or opportunity?"
For more information and research analysis please visit: www.hhs.se/site
Europe's Changing Energy Future - MSLGROUP Energy Report July 2014MSL
A few years ago, who would have imagined a world where shale is rewriting geopolitics, where solar and wind are supplanting coal in Germany, or where there are serious concerns over the lights starting to go out in the UK. One thing is clear – the European Energy landscape is changing at a pace that has never been seen before. In our fifth report, we bring you in-depth commentary from energy experts in Brussels, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK. Connect with us to seek advice on attracting the best talent, investor communication; crisis preparedness and corporate reputation management. http://www.mslgroup.com
To find out more about MSLGROUP’s services, please contact Nick Bastin on nick.bastin@capitalmsl.com | Share your feedback with us on twitter @msl_group.
Green energy sourcing is becoming more attractive to industrial consumers as carbon reduction strategies are implemented and levelized costs of electricity from renewables are declining. Options for green energy sourcing range from Self-Generation to Power Purchase Agreements and use of Guarantees of Origin, optionally bundled in green power products. Options differ in technologies and locations of the green energy projects, ownership and risk structures as well as prices. Various initiatives have developed quality requirements and recommendations for green energy sourcing. Based on these criteria a credibility assessment of the options is carried out and mapped against indicative price ranges.
Lessons from renewable energy laws - how do countries legislate to support re...Leonardo ENERGY
With the increasing globalisation of the market for renewable energy technologies, it might be expected that this would also lead to national renewable energy laws becoming more similar. Yet, outside of the European Union this has not happened. Drawing from her study of every country in the world’s renewable energy laws, Associate Professor Crossley will explore how countries compete to attract investment via their legislation to support renewables to meet the needs of their domestic consumers and indigenous renewable energy sources. From the support of peat in Sweden, to local content clauses in China, and the impact of the bushfires in Australia, this webinar will examine the competing market drivers impacting the energy transition around the world.
REN21’s Renewables Global Status Report (GSR) provides a comprehensive and timely overview of renewable energy market, industry, investment and policy developments worldwide. It enables policymakers, industry, investors and civil society to make informed decisions. The Renewables Global Status Report relies on up-to-date renewable energy data, provided by an international network of more than 500 contributors, researchers, and authors.
The need for a national infrastructure plan has never been greater. Australians currently enjoy access to many world-class infrastructure services, which have supported two decades of uninterrupted growth and underpin our world- renowned quality of life. But Australia is undergoing a period of profound change and in 15 years’ time will be a very different country from the one it is today. Our population is expected to grow to over 30 million by 2031. A growing population is a source of economic dynamism. Growth provides a larger domestic market for businesses, increases the size of the labour force and facilitates the injection of new ideas. But it also places additional demands on cities and regions – and ultimately government budgets. Growing demand for Australia’s resources and services from a vibrant Asia-Pacific will also trigger substantial shifts in our economy. Rising incomes in the region present immense economic and social opportunities. Emerging technologies are stimulating innovation. The increasing automation of infrastructure services will fundamentally change our built environment. Data is providing us with real-time information on the movement of people and goods. These evolving technologies are rapidly changing how consumers interact with businesses and have the potential to profoundly change how we live and work. We are facing new and emerging environmental challenges, with greater risks of extreme weather. The impacts of climate change are going to become more apparent and the need for emission reductions will persist. Adapting to these changes means we have to rethink our economic infrastructure to deliver networks and services which strengthen our role in the global economy, enhance the liveability and productivity of our cities and regions, and supports a transition to a more sustainable and resilient economy. The purpose of this Plan is to identify the infrastructure reforms and investments that will deliver these aspirations.
The 2015 Climate Alliance Business Leadership Awards recognise Australian business leaders and organisations that have demonstrated leadership by addressing the opportunities or risks presented by a changing climate and operating in a carbon-constrained economy. In scope are Australia’s Boards, Directors, Executives, Company Secretaries and Companies themselves. Due Date: 21 August
(http://www.climatealliance.org.au/images/stories/2015_events/2015%20CAL%20Business%20Leadership%20Awards.pdf)
SHOWCASES OF SUCCESSFUL RENEWABLE ENERGY FINANCINGEvert Albers
This brochure highlights innovative solutions for renewable energy financing and gives recommendations to Govern-ments. The materials are provided by contributors who are working or have a direct contact with the projects. The tar-get audiences of the brochure are policy makers, as well as private stakeholders such as: project developers, project owners, financiers, consultants, etc.
The following renewable energy projects are included: all biomass, geothermal, solar, tidal and wind projects of diversi-fied size, ranging from 0.2 MW to 600 MW, and across OECD countries, particularly in this book: Chile, Estonia, Germa-ny, Latvia, Netherlands, Scotland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America.
The projects are arranged alphabetically, based on the name of category and the name of the projects. The project allo-cation into each category is only relative, some projects could belong to more than one category.
This year's SITE Energy Day was devoted to discussing the consequences of oil price fluctuations for markets and actors of the economy. The half-day conference engaged policy-oriented scholars and experts from the business community to discuss the impact of oil price fluctuations on macro fundamentals, international trade, strategies of oil cartels, strategic risk management, and opportunities for change in energy systems.
Luca De Lorenzo, Senior Researcher at Stockholm Environment Institute, gave a presentation "Low oil prices and the new climate economy: constraint or opportunity?"
For more information and research analysis please visit: www.hhs.se/site
Europe's Changing Energy Future - MSLGROUP Energy Report July 2014MSL
A few years ago, who would have imagined a world where shale is rewriting geopolitics, where solar and wind are supplanting coal in Germany, or where there are serious concerns over the lights starting to go out in the UK. One thing is clear – the European Energy landscape is changing at a pace that has never been seen before. In our fifth report, we bring you in-depth commentary from energy experts in Brussels, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK. Connect with us to seek advice on attracting the best talent, investor communication; crisis preparedness and corporate reputation management. http://www.mslgroup.com
To find out more about MSLGROUP’s services, please contact Nick Bastin on nick.bastin@capitalmsl.com | Share your feedback with us on twitter @msl_group.
Green energy sourcing is becoming more attractive to industrial consumers as carbon reduction strategies are implemented and levelized costs of electricity from renewables are declining. Options for green energy sourcing range from Self-Generation to Power Purchase Agreements and use of Guarantees of Origin, optionally bundled in green power products. Options differ in technologies and locations of the green energy projects, ownership and risk structures as well as prices. Various initiatives have developed quality requirements and recommendations for green energy sourcing. Based on these criteria a credibility assessment of the options is carried out and mapped against indicative price ranges.
Lessons from renewable energy laws - how do countries legislate to support re...Leonardo ENERGY
With the increasing globalisation of the market for renewable energy technologies, it might be expected that this would also lead to national renewable energy laws becoming more similar. Yet, outside of the European Union this has not happened. Drawing from her study of every country in the world’s renewable energy laws, Associate Professor Crossley will explore how countries compete to attract investment via their legislation to support renewables to meet the needs of their domestic consumers and indigenous renewable energy sources. From the support of peat in Sweden, to local content clauses in China, and the impact of the bushfires in Australia, this webinar will examine the competing market drivers impacting the energy transition around the world.
REN21’s Renewables Global Status Report (GSR) provides a comprehensive and timely overview of renewable energy market, industry, investment and policy developments worldwide. It enables policymakers, industry, investors and civil society to make informed decisions. The Renewables Global Status Report relies on up-to-date renewable energy data, provided by an international network of more than 500 contributors, researchers, and authors.
The need for a national infrastructure plan has never been greater. Australians currently enjoy access to many world-class infrastructure services, which have supported two decades of uninterrupted growth and underpin our world- renowned quality of life. But Australia is undergoing a period of profound change and in 15 years’ time will be a very different country from the one it is today. Our population is expected to grow to over 30 million by 2031. A growing population is a source of economic dynamism. Growth provides a larger domestic market for businesses, increases the size of the labour force and facilitates the injection of new ideas. But it also places additional demands on cities and regions – and ultimately government budgets. Growing demand for Australia’s resources and services from a vibrant Asia-Pacific will also trigger substantial shifts in our economy. Rising incomes in the region present immense economic and social opportunities. Emerging technologies are stimulating innovation. The increasing automation of infrastructure services will fundamentally change our built environment. Data is providing us with real-time information on the movement of people and goods. These evolving technologies are rapidly changing how consumers interact with businesses and have the potential to profoundly change how we live and work. We are facing new and emerging environmental challenges, with greater risks of extreme weather. The impacts of climate change are going to become more apparent and the need for emission reductions will persist. Adapting to these changes means we have to rethink our economic infrastructure to deliver networks and services which strengthen our role in the global economy, enhance the liveability and productivity of our cities and regions, and supports a transition to a more sustainable and resilient economy. The purpose of this Plan is to identify the infrastructure reforms and investments that will deliver these aspirations.
The 2015 Climate Alliance Business Leadership Awards recognise Australian business leaders and organisations that have demonstrated leadership by addressing the opportunities or risks presented by a changing climate and operating in a carbon-constrained economy. In scope are Australia’s Boards, Directors, Executives, Company Secretaries and Companies themselves. Due Date: 21 August
(http://www.climatealliance.org.au/images/stories/2015_events/2015%20CAL%20Business%20Leadership%20Awards.pdf)
The removal of the price on carbon led to the collapse of the
Australian carbon-trading sector and deliberate regulatory
uncertainty for renewable energy projects has stifled
investment in large-scale renewable energy projects, as
demonstrated by Bloomberg New Energy Finance statistics
which reveal an 88 per cent drop in large-scale clean energy
investment in 2014 compared to 2013.
While car-makers suffered, among other factors, from
Australia’s failure to introduce fuel efficiency regulations,
other businesses have prospered from the introduction
of smart regulations, such as water trading and efficiency
policies. Spurred to innovate, Australian businesses are
now competing internationally by exporting water-efficient
products and know-how to major markets like California
and Brazil.
Australia’s economy is highly exposed to global economic
changes. Government regulation, whether local or
overseas, will often have strong flow-on effects for the local
economy.
The overall global trend is for governments to regulate
markets when they fail to account for costly environmental
side-effects (externalities). This has already been observed
with the ongoing roll-out of national and regional carbon
prices around the world.
Other regulations are being adapted to boost the trade in more sustainable products, as observed in 2014 with Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) commitment to free trade in environmental goods. Regardless of government decisions
made in Australia, government regulation in other countries will continue to increase the breadth and size of the export
market for more sustainable products and services. But there is a risk that the lack of proactive national regulation will
undermine Australia’s brand strength on sustainability and limit local businesses’ ability to compete in this growing market.
In the past few years, carbon asset risk (CAR) has gone from a fringe topic discussed primarily by NGOs to a serious consideration of some of the largest companies in the world. Recent market action, LQYHVWRUSOHGJHVQHZPRGHOVDQGUHVXOWVDQGVLJQL¿FDQWVKDUHKROGHUUHVROXWLRQVDUHDOOFRQWULEXWLQJ to pushing CAR into the public attention.1 This report discusses some of the most important recent GHYHORSPHQWVDQGSURYLGHVWKH¿UVWDWWHPSWDWTXDQWLI\LQJWKHXSWDNHRI&$5DVVHVVPHQWDQG management. The report follows the basic structure of the recently released UNEP FI/WRI CAR Framework, a multi-stakeholder and multiyear process to develop a common terminology and language VXUURXQGLQJ&$5DVVHVVPHQWDQGPDQDJHPHQW,W¿UVWVXPPDUL]HVWKHIUDPHZRUNZKLFKLGHQWL¿HV FDUERQULVNIDFWRUVDQGH[SODLQVKRZFRPSDQLHVDQG¿QDQFLDOLQVWLWXWLRQVFDQDVVHVVWKHLUH[SRVXUH HYDOXDWH¿QDQFLDOLPSDFWVDQGPDQDJHULVN,PSRUWDQWO\WKHIUDPHZRUNVHSDUDWHVWKHULVNWKDW carbon-intensive companies are exposed to (“operator carbon risk”) from the risk that is passed on to lenders and investors with a stake in these companies (“carbon asset risk”). Exposure and risk evaluation have to be done at the asset level by companies (operators of those assets) and at the SRUWIROLROHYHOE\RZQHUVRIRU¿QDQFLDOLQWHUPHGLDULHVWRWKRVHRSHUDWRUV5LVNLVWKHQPDQDJHGXVLQJ VHYHUDORSWLRQVGLVFORVXUHGLYHUVL¿FDWLRQGLYHVWPHQWDYRLGDQFHDQGHQJDJHPHQW81(3),:5, had over 200 participants in the webinar launch of its Framework. This report now looks at the evidence for action by operators (disclosure) and investors (divestment DQGHQJDJHPHQWLQSDUWLFXODUWKHUHLVOLPLWHGHYLGHQFHRIDFWLRQE\¿QDQFLDOLQWHUPHGLDULHVDWWKLV VWDJHLQUHODWLRQWRWKHVHLVVXHVLQWKHIRVVLOIXHOVDQGXWLOLW\VHFWRUV,WDOVRDQDO\]HVKRZUHFHQW market volatility, a primary risk factor in the CAR framework, may be contributing to such action. It focuses on evidence of action in four spheres: market action, corporate disclosure and engagement, and direct investor action (divestment and portfolio exposure and stress testing). We conclude that these developments are beginning to show progress in terms of action in an energy transition that now seems well underway.
Renewable energy is an important part of Australia’s diverse energy mix and the Australian Government is committed to supporting a sustainable renewable energy sector.
A wide ranging review of ESG issues in the extractive industries, though none dealt with by the authors in the depth needed to (literally) do the topics justice. Well worth a read nevertheless to get a perspective and a flavour of the themes involved.
It’s now common knowledge, that the ICT sector contributes 2% of global emissions. Projected growth in this sector means that we can expect to see this increase to 3% by 20201. That’s not much when compared to other sectors, and in fact the telecommunications sector as a whole is a relatively small emitter. That said, on a global basis, that’s the equivalent of three times Australia’s current greenhouse inventory2.
However, is fair to say that telecommunications is less a cause of the problem, than a big part of the solution. In 2007, Telstra released a report, Towards a HighBandwidth, Low-Carbon Future, in which we estimate that telecommunications could reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 5 per cent per annum by 2015.
Mining is an energy-intensive industry, and energy is an
essential operational consideration. Energy access is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive in many regions of the world, with global energy prices leaping by 260% since 2000. Falling grades require more energy to extract each tonne of mineral. Miners are grappling with these increasing costs while commodity prices tighten, resulting in ever-narrowing operating margins.
Corporate PPAs provide an opportunity for businesses to commit to using renewable energy, thereby reducing their carbon footprint, improving business sustainability and providing greater energy security and price certainty. For generators and funders in markets where subsidies are being withdrawn, they can be seen as the anchor for projects to be “bankable”.
Technology is perhaps the greatest agent of change in the modern world. While never without risk, technological breakthroughs promise innovative solutions to the most pressing global challenges of our time. From batteries that can provide power to whole villages to microchips that could take the place of organs in medical research, this year’s 10 emerging technologies offer a vivid glimpse of the power of innovation to improve lives, transform industries and safeguard our planet.
To compile this list, the World Economic Forum’s Meta-Council on Emerging Technologies, a panel of global experts, draws on the collective expertise of the Forum’s communities to identify the most important recent technological trends. By doing so, the Meta-Council aims to raise awareness of their potential and contribute to closing the gaps in investment, regulation and public understanding that so often thwart progress.
Key achievements:
• The Renewable Energy Advocate and the NSW Department of Industry provided support
for 17 large-scale renewable energy projects, totalling a potential 4,500 megawatts of new
capacity and $6 billion of investment.
• The $440 million Solar Flagships projects progressed with the Nyngan Solar Plant achieving
its maximum designed generation capacity and over half of the photovoltaic modules at the
Broken Hill Solar Plant are generating electricity.
• Over the past year, three large-scale renewable energy projects, including Nyngan Solar Plant,
came online, representing over $900 million of investment, 380 megawatts of capacity and
enough output to power 140,000 homes each year.
• The NSW Government sponsored the Network Opportunity Mapping project led by the
Institute of Sustainable Futures, which will highlight opportunities for renewable energy to
meet network constraints.
Investment confidence in Australia’s renewable energy sector has significantly improved following the legislation of the revised Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) in mid-
2015, a new Prime Minister that is more supportive of renewable energy and a strong outcome at the Paris climate change conference. The level and pace of investment will need to increase substantially in 2016 and 2017 in order
for liable parties to deliver on the 2020 legislated target and obligation. The Clean Energy
Regulator estimates that for this to happen, around 3000 MW of new renewable capacity should
be committed in 2016.
This paper outlines the status of progress towards delivering on the 2020 target of 33,000 GWh
of new large-scale renewable energy generation. While there will be challenges, this paper finds
that there is reason to be optimistic that the required new investment will be delivered within the
required timeframe.
The renewable energy sector is one of the world’s
fastest growing areas of economic activity. Global
investment in renewable energy has grown six-fold from
2004 to 2015, reaching one-third of a trillion dollars.
The Victorian government recognises this and has put in play mechanisms to harness this market reality.
In 2014, the Renewable Energy Target faced an existential threat from a hostile Federal Government, which set out to undermine the policy by launching the notorious “Warburton Review” headed by noted climate skeptic and former head of Caltex Dick Warburton.
In August 2014, the long-awaited findings unsurprisingly recommended axing the Target, despite modelling conducted for the review showing the policy would reduce the wholesale price of power in the long run if it was retained in full.
In response to this outright threat to the future of solar and renewables, Solar Citizens launched our Keep Solar Strong campaign which in large part focused on securing public support from the Federal Senate crossbench - a mix of minor parties including the Palmer United Party (PUP), Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party (AMEP) and a number of independents. Our strategy also aimed to reach out to Coalition MPs in order to garner support and educate politicians about the Target’s importance.
Changing workplace cultures is part of the strategy for sustainable strategies: Move from a workplace ‘culture
of attendance’ to a ‘culture of performance’. Telstra’s Group Manager for Environment, Turlough Guerin reinforces this culture shift when he says: “Work is something you do, not
somewhere you go.”
The first report was published in 2010. Each year, our report canvass the views of mining leaders across the country on their growth outlook and prospects, employment and pricing, challenges, opportunities and business priorities, and their advice to Canberra. Over the last seven years, the Mining Business Outlook Report has reported on the highs and lows of the industry first-hand. From broadcasting sentiment when mining was at its peak, to documenting the collapse in confidence as the sustained fall in commodity prices killed the mining investment boom, this report has provided expert insights into an industry facing turbulent times. In 2016, the Federal Government continues to lead the discussion of an economy in transition away from mining and resources. However, as this report shows, in an industry sector that accounts for more than 50 per cent of the value of all Australian exports, our interviews with mining leaders clearly suggest a shift in industry sentiment and potentially, a sustained improvement in the outlook for the sector. Despite the lows that still exist in parts of the industry, there has been a huge surge in sentiment. The outlook for mining appears more positive than it has been in the last three years, with a rise in cautious optimism from below 10 per cent two years ago, to nearly 50 per cent today. The underlying reasons for this are that many leaders have made the difficult changes necessary for their businesses to survive in today’s climate
of low commodity prices. There is a growing sense that prices have stabilised and the next price trend, though it may not occur soon, will be up. In addition to our 50 interviews with mining leaders across key commodities, this year we were also fortunate enough to conduct an exclusive interview with Gina Rinehart, one of Australia’s mining magnates, well-documented for her achievements with Roy Hill, Australia’s largest iron ore mine. Mrs Rinehart remains cautiously optimistic about iron ore, but also warns that in order to retain global competitiveness for Australia’s mining sector, the Australian Government and industry leaders must take urgent action. In summary, there appear to be signs of resurgence in the sector over the next 12 months, with a more confident outlook for the future. However, the sector is also calling out for clearer polices and Government backing in order to support its ongoing contribution to Australia’s economic prosperity, as we once again get ready for an election.
An excellent infographic of CSIRO diverse portfolio of energy programs: All aligned to deliver solutions that will enhance Australia’s economic competitiveness and regional energy security while enabling the transition to a lower emissions energy future.
Australian energy consumption rose by 1 per cent in 2014–15 to around
5,920 petajoules, following two years of consecutive decline.
Energy productivity (gross domestic product/energy consumption) rose by
1 per cent in 2014–15, and has increased by 28 per cent over the past 15
years.
Most of the growth in energy use was for electricity generation, reflecting
increased demand for electricity and a switch in the generation mix towards
coal (which has a lower efficiency than renewables).
Transport, which is the second largest energy use in Australia, continued
to grow steadily by 1 per cent.
For the first time in more than a decade, energy use in the mining sector
fell in 2014–15. This decline in energy use occurred across the sector,
despite general growth in output, and reflects cost cutting measures and
adoption of less energy-intensive technologies.
Energy use also fell in the manufacturing sector, mainly in non-ferrous
metals, underpinned by some large industrial closures such as the Gove
alumina refinery, Point Henry aluminium smelter and the Kurnell petroleum
refinery.
Final energy consumption, which excludes energy used in energy
conversion activities such as electricity generation and petroleum refining,
was flat in 2014–15.
Oil remained the largest primary energy source in Australia, at 38 per cent
in 2014–15, followed by coal (32 per cent) and natural gas (24 per cent).
Renewables accounted for 6 per cent of Australia’s energy mix.
After five years of decline, coal use rose by 3 per cent in 2014–15, although
consumption is still around 20 per cent lower than its peak in 2008–09.
Use of gas and renewables grew by 1 and 2 per cent, respectively. Oil
consumption fell by 1 per cent. The closure of domestic petroleum refining
capacity outweighed increased end use for transport and electricity
generation.
Presentation given by Professor Jim Watson, Research Director of UKERC, as part of the Plenary Session: CCS in the UK Energy Landscape at the UKCCSRC Biannual Meeting - CCS in the Bigger Picture - in Cambridge, 2-3 April 2014
Blackrock advises - governments, stakeholders, economists increasingly see higher carbon prices as a cost-effective way to achieve emissions reductions. Just 80 companies are responsible for 50 pc of global emissions by listed companies.
September 2016
By Prof Jim Watson, UKERC
Presented at 'Staying on Target: Securing the UK's Energy Future in Challenging Times'; an event organised by the UK Energy Research Centre, on Wednesday 30 April 2014, 14.00-19.00, in London, United Kingdom.
Future of energy - Insights from Discussions Building on an Initial Perspecti...Future Agenda
Insights from Discussions Building on an Initial Perspective by An initial perspective on the future of energy by Jeremy Bentham, VP Global Business Environment at Shell. This includes insights from an event with The Climate Group and builds on the starting point for the global future agenda discussions taking place through 2015 as part of the the futureagenda2.0 programme. www.futureagenda.org
Il World Energy Focus, nuovo mensile online della WEC's community, una e-publication gratuita per essere sempre aggiornato sugli sviluppi del settore energetico. Il World Energy Focus contiene news, interviste esclusive e uno spazio dedicato agli eventi promossi dai singoli Comitati Nazionali.
Secure Supply USA FIlls the GREEN H2 Energy Storage and Mw Class Energy Generation application which provide's a unique place within the Hydrogen Council's project's.
www.securesupplyusa.com
Webinar: Global Status of CCS: 2014 - Driving development in the Asia Pacific Global CCS Institute
The Global CCS Institute launched The Global Status of CCS: 2014 report on 5 November 2014.
2014 has been a pivotal year for CCS as it is now a reality in the power industry. The Global Status of CCS: 2014 report provides a comprehensive overview of global and regional developments in CCS technologies and the policies, laws and regulations that must drive the demonstration and deployment of technologies to support global climate mitigation efforts.
Clare Penrose, the Institute's General Manager - Asia Pacific presented a summary of the report and discuss the key recommendations, an important reference for decision makers for the year ahead.
Ms Penrose was joined by the Institute’s subject matter experts who were available to answer questions:
Chris Consoli: CO2 Storage
Ian Havercroft: CCS Laws and Regulations
Lawrence Irlam: CCS Policy and Economics
Jessica Morton: CCS Public Engagement
Tony Zhang: CO2 Capture
Energy innovation es8928 - renewable energy policy handbook -final m coviMarco Covi
A handbook for policy makers in the renewable energy field in Ontario. The handbook places a heavy importance on better consultation and public education on energy matters when it comes to the planning of large-scale energy projects and makes several suggestions on how to improve this. The handbook is timely as it was written in the context of the 2013 LTEP. In addition it serves as an accessible scientific reference guide for decision-makers and the broader public alike.
Powering the Future: Innovations and Challenges in the Fuel Industryarbazkh8596
The fuel industry is at a pivotal moment in history, facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. With global energy demands rising, the industry must navigate the complexities of traditional fuel sources, while simultaneously embracing innovative technologies and sustainable practices.
A #COP26 presentation by Zainab Usman of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Katie Auth of Energy for Development, building on this paper: September 28, 2021
REFRAMING CLIMATE JUSTICE FOR DEVELOPMENT: SIX PRINCIPLES FOR SUPPORTING INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE ENERGY TRANSITIONS IN LOW-EMITTING ENERGY-POOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES
By Mimi Alemayehou, Katie Auth, Murefu Barasa, Morgan Bazilian, Brad Handler, Uzo Iweala, Todd Moss, Rose Mutiso, Zainab Usman
Advancing inclusive and equitable energy transitions is one of this century’s most vital global challenges, and one in which development finance will play a crucial role. References to justice and equity are widespread in international climate policy, and are increasingly being used by development organizations to guide their own work, including support for energy transitions.
But prevailing definitions of climate justice rarely fully capture the priorities, challenges and perspectives of low-emitting energy-poor countries, the vast majority of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. When applied to development policy, this gap risks prioritizing near-term emissions reductions over broader support for economic development and energy transformation, with comparatively little climate benefit. This could severely hinder poverty alleviation, development, and climate resilience — the very opposite of justice. We need energy transitions that are truly ‘just and inclusive.’ What does this mean for development funders and financiers, and how should it drive their approach to supporting energy transitions in the lowest-income countries?
Global revenues for solar photovoltaics,
wind power, and biofuels
grew from $75.8 billion in 2007
to $115.9 billion in 2008. Between 2005 and 2030, global energy demand is projected to increase by 50%—with more than 80% of that demand
coming from emerging economies, namely China and India.
Similar to EY - Let's Talk Sustainability Issue 4 (20)
this issue.
Climate Governance Initiative Australia
The AICD is the host of the Climate Governance
Initiative Australia which assists in supporting
our members in meeting the challenges and
opportunities of governing climate change risk.
As host of the Australian Chapter of the Climate
Governance Initiative, our members have
access to a global network of experts in risk
and resilience and to non-executive directors
who are leading their organisations’ governance
response to climate change.
The Climate Governance Initiative (CGI) is an
active and rapidly expanding network of over
20 bodies globally, whose Chapters promote the
World Economic Forum Climate Governance
Principles for boards and effective climate
governance within their jurisdictions. The
principles are set out in Appendix 2 of this guide.
The principles support directors to gain
awareness, embed climate considerations into
board decision making, and understand and act
upon the risks and opportunities that climate
change poses to their organisations.
CGI chapters have already been established
in many comparable countries, including the
UK, US (hosted by the National Association of
Corporate Directors), Canada (hosted by the
Institute of Corporate Directors) and France.
Australian Bushfire
and Climate Plan
Final report of the National Bushfire and Climate Summit 2020
The severity and scale of Australian bushfires
is escalating
Australia’s Black Summer fires over 2019 and 2020
were unprecedented in scale and levels of destruction.
Fuelled by climate change, the hottest and driest year
ever recorded resulted in fires that burned through land
two-and-a-half times the size of Tasmania (more than 17
million hectares), killed more than a billion animals, and
affected nearly 80 percent of Australians. This included
the tragic loss of over 450 lives from the fires and
smoke, more than 3,000 homes were destroyed, and
thousands of other buildings.
While unprecedented, this tragedy was not
unforeseen, nor unexpected. For decades climate
scientists have warned of an increase in climaterelated disasters, including longer and more
dangerous bushfire seasons, which have become
directly observable over the last 20 years. Extremely
hot, dry conditions, underpinned by years of reduced
rainfall and a severe drought, set the scene for the
Black Summer crisis.
Recommendations - The 3 Rs - Response,
Readiness and Recovery
There is no doubt that bushfires in Australia have
become more frequent, ferocious and unpredictable
with major losses in 2001/02 in NSW, 2003 in the
ACT, 2013 in Tasmania and NSW, 2018 in Queensland,
2009 Black Saturday Fires in Victoria and 2019/20 in
Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia. We are
now in a new era of supercharged bushfire risk, forcing
a fundamental rethink of how we prevent, prepare for,
respond to, and recover from bushfires.
This Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan report
provides a broad plan and practical ideas for
governments, fire and land management agencies
and communities to help us mitigate and adapt to
worsening fire conditions. The 165 recommendations
include many measures that can be implemented right
now, to ensure communities are better protected.
How to work with petroleum hydrocarbon suppliers to reduce and eliminate cont...Turlough Guerin GAICD FGIA
Petroleum hydrocarbon suppliers affect a mine's goals for environmental performance because of the extensive reach of petroleum hydrocarbon products into the mining and minerals product life cycle, their impact on operational efficiencies, cost, and mine viability, and their potential for leaving negative environmental as well as safety legacies. The supplied petroleum hydrocarbon life cycle is a framework that enables structured engagement between supplier and customer on a range of environmental performance issues because it is an example of input into the mining industry that affects the entire mining and minerals processing an value chain. Engagement with suppliers in a proactive manner can be a risk management strategy. Questions for businesses to ask in relation to suppliers and their role in minimizing business risks and creating new value are offered (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rem.21669).
Governments would get bigger bang for taxpayer
buck by instead spending more on upgrading existing infrastructure,
and on social infrastructure such as aged care and mental health care.
Choosing net zero is
an economic necessity
Australia pays a high price of a global failure
to deliver new growth in recovery. Compared
to this dismal future, Deloitte Access Economics
estimates a new growth recovery could
grow Australia’s economy by $680 billion
(present value terms) and increase GDP
by 2.6% in 2070 – adding over 250,000 jobs
to the Australian economy by 2070.
The world of venture capital has seen huge changes over the past decade. Ten years ago there were fewer than
20 known unicorns in the US5
; there are now over 2006
. Annual investment of global venture capital has increased
more than fivefold over the same period, rising to $264 billion by 2019. This investment has been dominated by the
tech sector harnessing digital frontiers to disrupt traditional industries – including cloud computing, mobile apps,
marketplaces, data platforms, machine learning and deep tech.7
It is an ecosystem that acts as the birthplace for
innovation and brands that can shape the future of consumerism, sectors and markets.
As COVID-19 has taken hold of the
world, the question of whether venture
capital, and early stage investing more
broadly, is backing and scaling the
innovations our world really needs has
never been more pertinent. Life science
and biotech investing is an asset class
perhaps most resilient and relevant to
the short-term impact of COVID-19,
but there is another impact-critical
investment area that is emerging as
an increasingly important investment
frontier: climate tech.
This research represents a first-ofits-kind analysis of the state of global
climate tech investing. We define what
it is and show how this new frontier
of venture investing is becoming a
standout investing opportunity for the
2020s. Representing 6% of global
annual venture capital funding in 2019,
our analysis finds this segment has
grown over 3750% in absolute terms
since 2013. This is on the order of 3
times the growth rate of VC investment
into AI, during a time period renowned
for its uptick in AI investment.8
Looking forward can climate tech in the
2020s follow a similar journey to the
artificial intelligence (AI) investing boom
in the 2010s? The substantial rates of
growth seen in climate tech in the late
2010s, and the overarching need for
new transformational solutions across
multiple sectors of the economy,
suggests yes. The stage appears set
for an explosion of climate tech into the
mainstream investment and corporate
landscape in the decade ahead.
Nine shifts will radically change the way construction projects are delivered—and similar
industries have already undergone many of the shifts. A combination of sustainability
requirements, cost pressure, skills scarcity, new materials, industrial approaches, digitalization,
and a new breed of player looks set to transform the value chain. The shifts ahead include
productization and specialization, increased value-chain control, and greater customercentricity
and branding. Consolidation and internationalization will create the scale needed to
allow higher levels of investment in digitalization, R&D and equipment, and sustainability as well
as human capital.
Sustainable Finance Industry Guide
This industry guide provides information about sustainable finance in the built environment in Australia. It is designed to support investor understanding of Australia’s world-class rating tools and standards, and how these can be applied to direct more capital towards sustainable finance for our built environment. Included are insights that reflect lessons learnt when using a rating scheme to establish an investment framework, conduct
due diligence or report on an issuance.
Precincts to Support the Delivery of Zero Energy
This report frames the physical and organisational context for precinct action and identifies potential programs and government solutions that may be applied to better streamline the realisation of precinct-scale action to progress towards zero energy (and carbon) ready residential buildings within both new and existing precincts.
The report was developed based on a literature review and engagement with more than 80 stakeholders from industry, academia and government with the aim of identifying appropriate government action in the form of proposed solutions that may be applicable across Commonwealth, state and territory and/ or local governments.
The report has given focus to opportunities for precincts that are not already considered in the Trajectory to ensure that a wider system response is taken to considering the zero energy (and carbon) ready outcomes being sought.
When seeking funding, environmental and sustainability professionals must clarify how their role and the proposed project fit within the business' strategy.
This article provides a checklist for those seeking funding for sustainability and environmental projects.
The suggested questions will assist non-executive directors in evaluating sustainability-focused proposals.
Falcon stands out as a top-tier P2P Invoice Discounting platform in India, bridging esteemed blue-chip companies and eager investors. Our goal is to transform the investment landscape in India by establishing a comprehensive destination for borrowers and investors with diverse profiles and needs, all while minimizing risk. What sets Falcon apart is the elimination of intermediaries such as commercial banks and depository institutions, allowing investors to enjoy higher yields.
What are the main advantages of using HR recruiter services.pdfHumanResourceDimensi1
HR recruiter services offer top talents to companies according to their specific needs. They handle all recruitment tasks from job posting to onboarding and help companies concentrate on their business growth. With their expertise and years of experience, they streamline the hiring process and save time and resources for the company.
Buy Verified PayPal Account | Buy Google 5 Star Reviewsusawebmarket
Buy Verified PayPal Account
Looking to buy verified PayPal accounts? Discover 7 expert tips for safely purchasing a verified PayPal account in 2024. Ensure security and reliability for your transactions.
PayPal Services Features-
🟢 Email Access
🟢 Bank Added
🟢 Card Verified
🟢 Full SSN Provided
🟢 Phone Number Access
🟢 Driving License Copy
🟢 Fasted Delivery
Client Satisfaction is Our First priority. Our services is very appropriate to buy. We assume that the first-rate way to purchase our offerings is to order on the website. If you have any worry in our cooperation usually You can order us on Skype or Telegram.
24/7 Hours Reply/Please Contact
usawebmarketEmail: support@usawebmarket.com
Skype: usawebmarket
Telegram: @usawebmarket
WhatsApp: +1(218) 203-5951
USA WEB MARKET is the Best Verified PayPal, Payoneer, Cash App, Skrill, Neteller, Stripe Account and SEO, SMM Service provider.100%Satisfection granted.100% replacement Granted.
Tata Group Dials Taiwan for Its Chipmaking Ambition in Gujarat’s DholeraAvirahi City Dholera
The Tata Group, a titan of Indian industry, is making waves with its advanced talks with Taiwanese chipmakers Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) and UMC Group. The goal? Establishing a cutting-edge semiconductor fabrication unit (fab) in Dholera, Gujarat. This isn’t just any project; it’s a potential game changer for India’s chipmaking aspirations and a boon for investors seeking promising residential projects in dholera sir.
Visit : https://www.avirahi.com/blog/tata-group-dials-taiwan-for-its-chipmaking-ambition-in-gujarats-dholera/
Kseniya Leshchenko: Shared development support service model as the way to ma...Lviv Startup Club
Kseniya Leshchenko: Shared development support service model as the way to make small projects with small budgets profitable for the company (UA)
Kyiv PMDay 2024 Summer
Website – www.pmday.org
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/startuplviv
FB – https://www.facebook.com/pmdayconference
RMD24 | Retail media: hoe zet je dit in als je geen AH of Unilever bent? Heid...BBPMedia1
Grote partijen zijn al een tijdje onderweg met retail media. Ondertussen worden in dit domein ook de kansen zichtbaar voor andere spelers in de markt. Maar met die kansen ontstaan ook vragen: Zelf retail media worden of erop adverteren? In welke fase van de funnel past het en hoe integreer je het in een mediaplan? Wat is nu precies het verschil met marketplaces en Programmatic ads? In dit half uur beslechten we de dilemma's en krijg je antwoorden op wanneer het voor jou tijd is om de volgende stap te zetten.
[Note: This is a partial preview. To download this presentation, visit:
https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations]
Sustainability has become an increasingly critical topic as the world recognizes the need to protect our planet and its resources for future generations. Sustainability means meeting our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It involves long-term planning and consideration of the consequences of our actions. The goal is to create strategies that ensure the long-term viability of People, Planet, and Profit.
Leading companies such as Nike, Toyota, and Siemens are prioritizing sustainable innovation in their business models, setting an example for others to follow. In this Sustainability training presentation, you will learn key concepts, principles, and practices of sustainability applicable across industries. This training aims to create awareness and educate employees, senior executives, consultants, and other key stakeholders, including investors, policymakers, and supply chain partners, on the importance and implementation of sustainability.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts that form the foundation of sustainability within corporate environments.
2. Explore the sustainability implementation model, focusing on effective measures and reporting strategies to track and communicate sustainability efforts.
3. Identify and define best practices and critical success factors essential for achieving sustainability goals within organizations.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction and Key Concepts of Sustainability
2. Principles and Practices of Sustainability
3. Measures and Reporting in Sustainability
4. Sustainability Implementation & Best Practices
To download the complete presentation, visit: https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations
Unveiling the Secrets How Does Generative AI Work.pdfSam H
At its core, generative artificial intelligence relies on the concept of generative models, which serve as engines that churn out entirely new data resembling their training data. It is like a sculptor who has studied so many forms found in nature and then uses this knowledge to create sculptures from his imagination that have never been seen before anywhere else. If taken to cyberspace, gans work almost the same way.
3.0 Project 2_ Developing My Brand Identity Kit.pptxtanyjahb
A personal brand exploration presentation summarizes an individual's unique qualities and goals, covering strengths, values, passions, and target audience. It helps individuals understand what makes them stand out, their desired image, and how they aim to achieve it.
1. Let’s talk:
sustainability
Special edition on stranded assets
March 2015
Issue 4
“Stranded assets”: from fact to fiction
Disruptive innovation
Grid parity
Between a bank and a hard place
The future of global climate policy —
multilateralism or realpolitik?
Regulators put the spotlight on sustainability
disclosure: are you ready to comply?
Identifying material sustainability risks:
realising the benefits within your organisation
2. An effective sustainability strategy needs to look at all of the components that can affect your
business. In Let’s talk sustainability, we help you demystify the highly complex world of sustainability,
and assist you in taking concrete actions to identify competitive advantages, increase operational
efficiency and mitigate risk. EY has identified nine key elements that frame the discussion:
Join the conversation.
Continue the dialogue
For more insights or to browse our
archive of webcasts and videos,
visit ey.com/au/sustainability.
Reporting
Social
impact
Supply
chain
Tax
implications Climate
change
Beyond
compliance
Emissions
Energy
agenda
Innovation
Sustainability
3. ey.com/au/sustainability 1
“Stranded assets”: from fact to fiction
Foreword
History behind the ‘stranded assets’ debate
The concept of environmentally stranded assets originated in NGO campaigns against
the major fossil fuel companies that sought to demonstrate that there are more proven
reserves on the balance sheets of the world’s fossil fuel majors than could possibly be
monetised if the world was to avoid catastrophic climate change. Given that most of
the world’s governments share a stated intention to avoid catastrophic climate change,
the hypothesis was that a large number of coal, oil and gas assets must eventually be
stranded through political intervention. These campaigns called for greater disclosures
from the fossil fuel industry to attempt to force it to either acknowledge the existence
of effectively stranded assets, or the non-existence of an effective climate change
strategy. While these campaigns captured a few headlines they did not initially inspire
much concern within the financial mainstream.
Climate change | Emissions | Energy agenda
For the global sustainability community,
the most effective catalyst of change
has long been seen as the informed
self-interest of the mainstream financial
community: if banks and investors
could be convinced of the proximity of
environmental risk or societal impacts,
then it has been assumed that capital
diverted from ‘unsustainable’ practices
would render all other interventions
unnecessary. In practice though, the
sustainability community has found
the financial sector a hard nut to crack.
Although recent years have seen a
substantial increase in the integration of
environmental, social and governance
(ESG) data forming part of investment
analysis, the continued emphasis on short-
term results and incentives has pushed
longer-term environmental risks, such as
climate change, outside of the boundary
of risks contemplated by mainstream
analysts. That is, until recently.
2014 saw a remarkable increase in the
analysis of environmental and associated
geo-political risks in the wider financial
community, the primary focus of which
was on the suddenly credible prospect of
‘stranded assets’ in the fossil fuel sector.
Adam Carrel
Sydney
adam.carrel@au.ey.com
In this special edition of Let’s talk:
sustainability we seek to distinguish
‘fact from fiction’ regarding stranded
assets. It is not intended to draw a
conclusive line under the debate, which
we expect to become more rigorous over
the coming years. In part, as discussion
relies to a great degree on the accuracy
of forecasted political intervention,
and changes in global energy demand
and economic conditions. Instead, it
examines four variables driving concerns
that do have the capacity for significant
disruption, were one or more to converge
unexpectedly in the short-term.
These being:
•• The price competitiveness and
uptake of renewable electricity
generation — We consider whether
the progress of renewable forms of
generation will continue in spite of any
potential stagnation of global climate
policy, and what impact this may have.
•• Disruptive technologies — We take
a look at some x-factor technologies,
including industrial-scale energy
storage and carbon capture and
storage, to get a sense of how
proximate these potential game-
changers might actually be.
•• Debt and project finance — We
discuss the challenges facing debt
funding in light of significant tightening
of international and national
carbon policies.
•• Global and domestic climate
policy — We consider what, if any,
political consensus towards substantive
multilateral climate intervention might
be expected of the Paris Climate Summit
in December this year; or whether the
unilateral interventions of China and the
US could affect more material change.
We have seen a raft of mainstream
investors publically contemplate the
longevity of fossil fuel related assets,
with obvious and far-reaching implications
for major coal exporting nations such
as Australia.
What is most striking about some analysis
is that any political intervention
to limit, say coal-related emissions
(in particular by the world’s largest
coal consumer, China) is being portrayed
as only one frontier in a battle that might
well be lost to new forms of energy
generation with or without political
assistance. Furthermore, the diversity of
issues and perspectives regarding the rate
of change in the global energy sector has
permitted a degree of data ‘cherry picking’
on both sides of the debate which can
make it difficult to objectively evaluate
exposure at the company level.
4. Let’s talk sustainability2
Challenges and opportunities in
the energy supply chain
Progress, technology, disruptive
innovation. Disruption has become a
byword for progress in the modern
economy. Yet throughout history,
innovators have developed and adapted
new technologies — sometimes supporting
new activities, sometimes displacing old
ways of doing things, sometimes both.
The potential for disruption exists across
all industry sectors, though information
technology is often front-of-mind for most.
Across the energy value chain disruptive
innovation offers new opportunities
to deliver our energy needs with lower
overall CO2
emissions; from accessing
previously untapped reserves via
fracking, to dramatic improvements
in the emissions-intensity of coal-fired
power stations through the uptake of
ultra-supercritical coal, to improving the
energy efficiency in appliances. However,
disruption can also fundamentally
challenge the business model on
which the industry currently relies.
Indeed, the “stranded assets” thesis
requires disruption. That is, if radical
decarbonisation will be needed in the
way we generate electricity (alongside
innovation in other sectors). Under such
a scenario, the use of fossil fuels could be
disrupted through innovations including:
•• Electricity storage
•• Carbon capture and storage
Electricity storage
Electricity storage can operate at large
scale, and in different physical forms.
For example, pumped hydro systems have
used electricity at times of oversupply
to pump water uphill, to then generate
electricity at a later time as the water
flows back downhill. But with electricity
storage costs falling rapidly, distributed
electricity storage is increasingly being
considered as an approach to1
:
•• Delaying transmission capacity
upgrades
•• Increasing the use of variable output
renewables such as solar photovoltaic
(PV) and wind power by better
matching supply and demand patterns
(see article: Grid parity)
To limit global warming to within 2˚C in
2050 (a broadly recognised target that
avoids the most extreme impacts from
climate change), the International Energy
Agency (IEA) forecasts2
that global wind
power capacity would increase 15-fold,
and solar PV around 60-fold, from current
levels. Electricity storage will likely be a
fundamental enabler of this massive
re-alignment of global electricity
generating capacity.
For fossil-fuel based electricity generators,
such a future could be seen as a major
challenge. For countries increasing
their electrification rates, renewable
alternatives such as domestic-scale solar
PV plus electricity storage could offer a
viable alternative to the traditional grid-
expansion-plus-centralised-generation
electricity delivery model.
1
Vassallo, T, 2014. Energy storage: from
development to deployment. Australian Institute
of Energy, v32, no.4
2
IEA, 2014. Energy Technology Perspectives 2014.
www.iea.org/etp2014
At the same time, achieving a 2˚C climate
scenario could see a 40% fall in demand
for gas, 70% fall in demand for coal, and
over 95% fall in demand for oil in global
electricity generation by 20503
. However,
this must be put in context: with overall
global energy demand increasing (in
particular from developing nations) the
total quantity of fossil fuels needed will
equate to a predicted increase in their
extraction, despite making up a smaller
percentage of the energy equation overall.
Innovation in electricity storage, then,
could underpin significant disruption
in the current electricity supply chain
over the mid- to longer-term. The key
to unlocking these disruptive changes
in supply may be the cost and capability
of battery technology, of which there is
plenty of hope.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
CCS has been described as “the critical
enabling technology that would reduce
CO2
emissions4
”. Ubiquitous CCS use
should be an attractive option for
industry, government and society, as it
would simultaneously address pressing
climate concerns, increase infrastructure
investment, and support the long-run
value of coal assets.
3
Fossil fuels are used far more widely than for
electricity generation: for example, oil is used
extensively in transport, gas in fertilisers, and coal
in steel production. Despite these other uses, over
80% of the reduction in coal demand forecast by
the IEA in 2050 arises from falling coal demand in
the electricity sector. Changes based on IEA 2014.
4
MIT, 2007. The future of coal: options for a
carbon-constrained world. web.mit.edu/coal/
The_Future_of_Coal_Summary_Report.pdf
Stranded assets: from fact to fiction (continued)
Disruptive innovation
Graham Sinden
Sydney
graham.sinden@au.ey.com
Kim Farrant
Melbourne
kim.farrant@au.ey.com
Climate change | Emissions | Energy agenda
5. ey.com/au/sustainability 3
Despite this potential, implementation of
CCS to date has been limited: currently,
CCS plants around the world remove
around 0.1% of the world’s annual CO2
emissions5
. For CCS to deliver an 80%
reduction in forecast CO2
from coal in the
electricity sector by 20506
, five current-
generation CCS projects would need to be
completed each week between now and
2050.
CCS also adds cost to electricity
generation and other industrial processes.
When combined with enhanced oil
recovery (EOR), oil field production
benefits can offset the additional capital
and operational costs7
. Emissions trading
schemes offer a source of revenue;
however, the political and price uncertainty
associated with ETSs to date have not
been sufficient to drive private sector
investment in commercial scale CCS. In
addition, CCS faces significant liability
challenges, principally arising from the
long-term nature of storage required.
Addressing these challenges, alongside
the development of a robust climate
finance model that creates long-term
incentives for investment, will be
necessary for CCS to become a major
disruptive force in energy and
climate policy.
5
Global CCS Institute, 2015. Large Scale CCS
Projects. www.globalccsinstitute.com/projects/
large-scale-ccs-projects
6
Assumes an 80% reduction in emissions from
coal-based electricity generation in 2050, based
on IEA forecast of coal consumption in electricity
generation in 2050 under a 6o warming scenario
7
To-date, around 90% of operational and in-
development CCS capacity (by annual CO2 capture
volume) is associated with EOR (Global CCS
Institute, 2015)
Disruption, innovation, and stranded assets
Disruptive innovation is not necessarily a universal threat to fossil fuel companies:
disruptive innovation can contribute to both sides of the stranded assets debate, and
could occur at a scale that underpins large-scale change.
The fossil fuel sector is intimately linked to each of these technologies, and therefore
to the effects of the disruption to come, yet it may have a limited ability to influence
innovation in these sectors. The development and adoption of electricity storage
have their own commercial drivers, and consumer uptake could occur at a rate
that challenges the traditional energy supply chain. Widespread CCS deployment is
strongly linked to robust and stable climate policies being adopted by government.
Recognising these challenges will best place the sector for what lies ahead.
6. Figure 1: Levelised cost of electricity ($/MWh) by generation type10
10
Bloomberg New Energy Finance, H2 2014. Levelized Cost of Electricity Update
Let’s talk sustainability4
Stranded assets: from fact to fiction (continued)
Grid parity
Jamie Mattison
Sydney
jamie.mattison@au.ey.com
Graham Sinden
Sydney
graham.sinden@au.ey.com
What is it, and how does it
impact stranded assets?
Long seen as a holy grail for
renewables, “grid parity” may be
upon us. But what is it, and how does
it relate to the stranded assets debate?
Grid parity refers to the threshold
at which an emerging electricity
generation technology is able to compete
favourably on price against grid-
electricity, in particular from coal and
gas-fired generators, without incentives or
subsidies. The significance of grid parity is
that, once reached, electricity users could
have the option, and possibly an incentive,
to move away from centralised electricity
networks and generators.
Such a move would have significant
implications for existing assets: decreased
demand from traditional electricity
sources would not only undermine the
large-scale generation market, but could
also impact on the ability of transmission
and distribution operators to recover costs.
Under current tariff arrangements, retail
prices are dominated by energy costs, yet
the underlying price structure is dominated
by fixed costs. Were energy sales to fall,
fixed capital costs would be spread over
lower energy demand, raising prices. The
electricity industry has referred to this as
the “death spiral” with higher unit costs
for electricity driving further reductions
in energy demand, which in turn increase
unit costs for energy further.
Achieving grid parity
For the death spiral to occur, the cost of
self-generation will need to reach grid
(or “socket”) parity, including the cost of
generating electricity, plus transmission,
distribution, profit, and other costs. This
threshold has already been reached by
solar systems in most parts of Continental
Europe, South West US, and Australia.
It is also predicted to do so in Japan by
2016 and in the UK and Brazil by the early
2020s8
. Other forecasts are even more
bullish9
.
However, as the retail price of electricity
includes transmission and distribution,
some commentators consider that a more
comparable challenge for renewables
(including wind and solar) would be to
achieve “wholesale parity” where energy is
able to be supplied at (significantly lower)
wholesale market prices. This would be
no mean feat, as Australian wholesale
electricity prices are currently at record
lows of around $40/MWh.
There is logic to this “wholesale parity”
view, for while technologies such as
rooftop solar PV displace energy demand
on the grid (unless they also depress peak
power demand), the fixed transmission and
distribution costs remain, and thus need
to be recovered from a reduced demand
for grid electricity. This “free rider” effect
is real, but it is not new: any electricity
consumer whose energy demand is low
compared to their peak power demand
receives such a benefit (at the expense of
other consumers).
8
Citi Research, 25 September 2014
9
Deutsche Bank predicts that 80% of countries will
be at grid parity by the end of 2017 (DB 2015
solar outlook).
A level playing field
Both falling distributed generation costs
and increasing grid prices contribute
to reaching grid parity, and over recent
years both have been occurring. Solar
PV capacity costs have fallen around
80% over the last five years, largely due
to massive investment in production
capacity in China. In sunny regions, photo-
voltaic generation costs are beginning
to drop below $100/MWh. At the same
time, retail electricity prices in Australia
have increased significantly, and now sit
at around $250/MWh. This price/cost
differential makes a compelling case for
household investment in solar PV.
And it is not just rooftop solar PV. Wind
power has also experienced significant
cost reductions, and on a standard
levelised cost of generation analysis the
cost of generating electricity in some
regions is lower from new-build onshore
wind than it is from new-build coal (refer
Figure 1).
Climate change | Emissions | Energy agenda
7. ey.com/au/sustainability 5
Yet these comparisons may still obscure
the true cost of electricity, due to direct
and indirect subsidies in electricity
generation. In Australia, the subsidy
provided by the Renewable Energy Target
has been a focus of attention; however,
traditional electricity generators also
enjoy subsidy support. Some are quite
transparent — tax and depreciation
benefits, for example — and they have
been widely documented11
.
11
OECD, 2014.
Parity in energy services
Electricity networks do not just deliver
energy, they also deliver energy services
such as reliability and reserve capacity,
as well as ‘smoothing’ demand patterns
over a large number of sites and matching
supply with demand. Renewables
alone tend not to achieve this: solar PV
generates electricity when the sun shines,
and wind power when the wind blows. This
variability can also result in over-supply,
with network operators in Queensland and
New South Wales recently implementing
grid connection rules which prevent
household systems from exporting excess
electricity back to the grid, but it can also
result in under-supply.
The grid has a role to play in managing this
variability, at the right price. But it faces
disruption from electricity storage systems,
a technology that itself is seeing rapid
cost reductions. At network level, new
electricity storage systems may provide an
alternative to traditional reserve capacity.
But stand-alone storage systems could
also deliver energy services parity, as they
allow for electricity supply to be matched
to demand (see Disruptive Innovation).
Grid parity and stranded assets
Widely adopted, small-scale storage
systems could further erode the demand
for grid-based energy (and possibly
also undermine demand for the grid).
Research by global investment bank UBS
suggests that the average Australian
household could find it cost-competitive to
go off-grid as soon as 2018. But achieving
grid parity does not necessarily spell the
end of the grid, and there may also be
different impacts for network operators
and traditional generators.
For network operators, grid parity may
drive a transition from energy delivery to
energy services, acting as a ubiquitous
battery that provides energy whenever
demand outstrips renewable output. For
generators, grid parity offers greater
challenges. Renewables directly substitute
for energy delivered by generators,
reducing demand. At the same time, wide-
scale adoption of storage could deliver
peaking and reserve services usually
provided by conventional generators.
Being not only cost competitive, but also
operating at virtually no marginal cost,
these technologies could guarantee access
to competitive markets by outbidding
traditional generators.
And while the stranded assets debate
has tended to focus on the implications
of robust climate policy for traditional
fossil fuel energy sector investments,
it is the cost-competitiveness implicit in
achieving grid parity that could present
the greatest challenge to incumbents.
For many consumers, grid parity itself
may not be a sufficient driver, as the time
and effort involved in achieving energy
self-sufficiency may not be seen as viable.
But grid parity is not an end-point for
alternatives to the grid: costs continue
to fall, potentially taking renewables
(and storage) beyond parity. A cheaper
source of electricity could be very
attractive to consumers, leaving assets
stranded and an entire industry facing
significant challenges.
“The point at which solar-
plus-battery systems reach
grid parity — already here in
some areas and imminent
in many others for millions
of U.S. customers — is well
within the 30-year planned
economic life of central power
plants and transmission
infrastructure. Such parity
and the customer defections
it could trigger would strand
those costly utility assets”.
“The Economics of Grid Defection”,
Rocky Mountain Institute,
February 2014
“As energy management options such as smart appliances,
energy management software, in-home generation and battery
storage become more available and affordable, we expect to see
a significant change in the way customers use energy and our
network… (which) will have wide-ranging implications for the way
the distribution network is planned, built and operated”.
Energex, Annual Report 2013-2014
8. Let’s talk sustainability6
Stranded assets and the
challenges facing debt funding
The last two years have seen a new front
in environmental activism emerge both in
Australia and internationally, focussing on
the potential investment risk associated
with the fossil fuel (in particular, coal)
value chain. In Australia, this divestment
argument focusses on NSW and
Queensland, with the large coal deposits
of the Galilee basin, and related coal export
infrastructure becoming the new face of
environmental activism in Australia.
While the focus of the divestment
campaign was initially on equity owners
(Superfunds, University Endowments), the
scope of the campaign has now broadened
to include debt and project finance. Over
the last six months, the campaign has
targeted a number of global banks (e.g.
Deutsch Bank in Germany) and the big
four banks in Australia. The campaign
request is clear: given the significant
contribution of coal combustion to global
GHG emissions12
, and the significant local
impacts associated with the coal and
infrastructure projects (e.g. on the Great
Barrier Reef, air quality), banks are being
urged not only to shun new fossil fuel
investments, but also to publically disclose
their current exposure and risk to fossil
fuel assets that have the potential to be
“stranded” in the future due to a significant
tightening of international and national
carbon policies.
When disclosure is not enough
The extension of the fossil fuel divest
campaign to include banks and project
finance creates a number of challenges
and dilemmas for the Australian
banks in particular, and which could
ultimately result in less project finance
being available to support these large
investments. In most instances, banks
12
Coal accounts for 41% of global anthropogenic
CO2
emissions. EY analsyis, based on IEA (www.
iea.gov) and European Commission (edgar.jrc.
ec.europa.eu)
have historically relied mainly on
regulatory approvals, the application
of appropriate standards (e.g. Equator
Principles), and their own ESG risk and
credit due diligence processes to assess
participation in these projects. However,
this new operating environment is
more complex and nuanced, requiring
institutional bankers to consider a much
broader suite of issues as part of their
decision-making processes.
Long horizons, deep challenges
And these challenges will not be trivial,
as many go to the heart of the business
model. Banks are largely sector agnostic,
lending across most sectors as part of a
diversified portfolio of economic activities.
At the same time, most Australian banks
have public positions that recognise and
accept climate science, and the necessity
to move towards a low carbon economy
(i.e. maintaining global warming below a
2˚C increase on historic levels).
These two issues are not mutually
exclusive, as achieving a 2˚C scenario
would still see coal use within the
electricity sector and wider economy
in 205013
. And despite a lower overall
predicted share of the global energy
market, actual coal demand is predicted
by most to increase out over the next 40
years. This makes for interesting analysis,
where certain forms of coal will likely
outperform others, due to their thermal
calorific values, ash and sulphur content.
In a carbon-constrained world then, not all
coal is created equal.
Climate policy, or financial security
Limiting exposure to the fossil fuel sector,
and particularly the coal value chain, as
a mechanism for policy delivery would
sit uncomfortably for many, not least
the banking sector itself. That’s easy
to understand, given the significant
uncertainty in future development of
13
IEA, 2014. Energy Technology Perspectives
energy infrastructure, and what increased
role coal could play in a lower-carbon
future should supercritical and ultra
supercritical coal-fired power generation
become more prevalent, or should carbon
capture and storage become cost-
competitive and more commonplace.
These are, of course, not new
considerations for banks: any exposure
to assets should be accompanied by
an appreciation of risk, and priced
accordingly. But in the context of the
prevailing policy uncertainty and complex
operating environment faced by banks
(and other investors), a clear decision-
making framework for mitigating risks,
identifying new lending opportunities and
for enhancing decision-making processes
in respect of assessing energy sector
investments is essential. Indeed, the
framework for decision-making could well
be influenced by the tenure of investment,
with longer-term risks being significantly
discounted on short-term loans, say.
Regardless, a framework will likely include
the development of long-term views on
the evolution of the energy sector under
different climate policy environments,
together with an appreciation of the
likely path forward; communication and
consultation with key stakeholders of
the underlying rationale for the banks’
position; establishing targets consistent
with this long-term view; and integrating
these portfolio requirements into project
due diligence procedures.
And of course, revisiting the logic and
assumptions regularly. For as recent
history has shown, stakeholder concerns
and climate policy can shift rapidly.
Whether or not these changes result in
stranded assets, only time will tell; but
understanding the interaction between
climate policy, stakeholder concerns and
investment opportunity is most likely to
ensure that risk in the energy sector, and
many other sectors, continues to be priced
appropriately.
Graham Sinden
Sydney
graham.sinden@au.ey.com
Mark Lyster
Sydney
mark.lyster@au.ey.com
Stranded assets: from fact to fiction (continued)
Between a bank and a hard place
Climate change | Emissions | Energy agenda
9. ey.com/au/sustainability 7
Pip Best
Melbourne
pip.best@au.ey.com
Adam Carrel
Sydney
adam.carrel@au.ey.com
Stranded assets: from fact to fiction (continued)
The future of global climate
policy — multilateralism or
realpolitik?
Less than 25 years since the end of
the Cold War, the era of multilateralism
that it ushered in is facing challenges
on many fronts, not least of which is
climate change. As the 20th UNFCCC
Conference of the Parties (in Lima) comes
and goes with little tangible progress, the
prospects for a global climate agreement
being forged in Paris in late 2015 are
hardly clear. Of course, a global climate
agreement was always going to test the
limits of multilateralism’s potential. But
with the European Union and WTO facing
their own challenges to multilateralism,
the prospect of an enforceable successor
to the Kyoto Protocol being agreed in the
near-term could seem remote.
Increasingly the arena of international
negotiation is circling back to regionalism
and bilateralism, with the idea of a global
liberal consensus seemingly on ice until
the global financial crisis is a distant
memory. On the face of it, this might
appear to spell doom for meaningful
climate change mitigation; however, this is
not necessarily the case.
All politics is local
The biggest sticking point of the Kyoto
saga was America’s refusal to pursue
substantive emissions reductions if the
world’s second largest economy, China,
did not act comparatively. Although
China appears in no hurry to commit
to a global climate treaty, its domestic
response has become much more active,
and much more so than the USA. While
China is still the largest GHG emitter in
gross terms, it is also the world’s largest
investor in renewable energy, and has
announced plans to roll out a national
emissions trading scheme (ETS) that
builds on the regional pilots that are
already functioning. The China ETS, once
implemented, will be over twice the size of
the European Union ETS. In addition, the
government has placed new restrictions
on stationary power generators and the
quality of imported coal as a means of
addressing China’s major air quality issues.
To some extent, these recent climate
policy developments in China remove a
barrier to action in other countries, in
particular for the USA, and at the G20
meeting in December 2014 the USA
repackaged its domestic efforts as part
of a bilateral agreement with China. This
agreement set longer term greenhouse
gas emissions targets of a 26-28%
reduction by 2025 from 2005 levels for
the USA, and a peak in absolute emissions
in China by 2030 with at least 20% of
power generation coming from non-fossil
fuel sources. It is likely that there is also
an element of ‘containment’ in China and
the USA’s newfound interest in climate
partnership, an attempt to ensure that
approaches to climate mitigation remain
within each other’s manageable range.
But these developments also build on
an increasing history of climate policy
development, whether these be domestic
schemes such as in the USA (RGGI,
WCI), Japan, Europe, NZ or elsewhere:
developments that have proceeded
without multilateral consensus.
Politically stranded
For the stranded assets debate, climate
bilateralism ahead of any multilateral
agreement may present an easier path
forward for government (even while
a globally binding climate agreement
remains a minor), and might present the
final straw for already marginal assets.
And much now hinges on the 2016 US
Presidential election. While potential
Republican candidates may be as eager
to unwind the USA’s emissions reduction
programs as they have been in Australia,
a Democrat victor (in particular, Hilary
Clinton) is likely to view the USA’s current
efforts as a line from which there can be
no retreat. And an accord between the
world’s two remaining superpowers has
a certain gravitational pull which smaller
States are likely to be drawn towards,
including Australia.
Meanwhile, unlikely sources of support
for climate science, and refocussing
investment, are emerging. Already a
central figure in the lives of over 1.4
billion people, Pope Francis is increasingly
popular in secular circles: his comments in
support of climate change mitigation have
the potential to re-wire the attitudes of a
portion of the US electorate historically
unmotivated by climate policy. Meanwhile,
the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and other
investors publicly stated their intention to
divest $50b from fossil fuel investments,
in a move that is likely to add fuel to the
stranded assets debate.
It is likely that the USA and Obama’s
new found interest in brokering global
climate agreements plays to that oldest
of Realpolitik precepts: appearing weak
when you are strong and strong when you
are weak. Either way, that climate change
mitigation has remained elevated on the
global political agenda despite the wane of
the multilateral ideal confirms that, as an
x-factor in the consideration of long-term
investment decisions, climate policy it is
most certainly here to stay.
Climate change | Emissions | Energy agenda
10. Let’s talk sustainability8
Recent additions to reporting
requirements for Australian
companies have put a new
focus on sustainability
risk disclosure. In line with
international regulatory trends
and supporting the push
from stakeholders, both the
Australian Securities Exchange
(ASX) and the Australian
Investment and Securities
Commission (ASIC) are calling
on companies to report their
sustainability risks.
Australia’s changing
regulatory environment
In March 2014, the ASX Corporate
Governance Council released version
three of its Corporate Governance
Principles and Recommendations. The
Principles and Recommendations set out
the corporate governance requirements
applicable to all ASX listed entities.
Entities are expected to prepare a
statement responding to the Principles
and Recommendations or explain why
not in accordance with the if not, why
not approach.
One of the key changes, as detailed in
Principle 7, is an increased focus on
risk management and a requirement to
disclose non-financial and sustainability
related material risks.
Changes to the ASX reporting
requirements support the ASIC’s
Regulatory Guide 247, released in March
2013. It provides guidance to directors
preparing an operating and financial
review (OFR) or directors’ report, as
required by the Corporations Act 2001,
and highlights that effective disclosure
should include environmental and
sustainability risk disclosure.
The ASX recommendations take effect for
an entity’s full financial year commencing
on or after 1 July 2014, while the ASIC
regulatory guide applied to OFRs from the
30 June 2013 reporting period.
International trends in
reporting requirements
The ASX and the ASIC reporting
requirements are reflective of an
international trend encouraging
companies to not only disclose their
sustainability risks but also explain how
they are managing those risks.
Governments in both developed and
developing nations are requiring
sustainability disclosure through
a variety of mechanisms including
regulation and the report or if not why
not approach. Research released in 2013
by Global Reporting Initiative14
reviewed
sustainability reporting requirements
from 45 countries and found 180 policies
specific to sustainability disclosure of
which 72 percent were mandatory.
14
https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/
Carrots-and-Sticks.pdf
In September 2014 the European Union
joined jurisdictions including Australia,
South Africa, India, Hong Kong and
Brazil and published its requirements for
non-financial disclosure with a focus on
policies, risks and outcomes regarding
environmental matters, social and
employee-related aspects, respect for
human rights, anti-corruption and bribery
issues, and diversity on boards
of directors.
Regulatory requirements are supported
by the increasing profile of international
sustainability reporting frameworks
including the Global Reporting Initiative,
Global Compact and International
Integrated Reporting Initiative, all of
which are referenced in the ASX Principles
and Recommendations.
What are the sustainability
disclosure requirements?
While the focus of the ASX and the ASIC
reporting requirements vary slightly
they are both focus on disclosure of
sustainability risk.
The key audience for the ASIC disclosure is
investors with the focus on the potential of
those risks to impact an entity’s financial
performance. The ASX recommendations
makes specific mention of the large
range of stakeholders impacted by an
organisation’s business activities including
security holders, employees, customers,
suppliers, creditors, consumers,
government and the community.
Regulators put the spotlight on sustainability disclosure
Are you ready to comply?
Reporting
Kathryn Franklin
Melbourne
kathryn.franklin@au.ey.com
11. ey.com/au/sustainability 9
ASX Principle 7: Recognise and
manage risk
Principle 7 acknowledges the
importance of a sound risk management
process. It requires companies to
have a committee, or committees, to
oversee risk (Recommendation 7.1),
supported by a regular review of the
entity’s risk management framework
(Recommendation 7.2), and an audit
function (Recommendation 7.3) to
improve risk management process.
A significant risk disclosure requirement
is detailed in Recommendation 7.4 which
requires an entity to disclose whether it
has any material exposure to economic,
environment and social sustainability risks
and, if it does, how it manages or intends
to manage those risks.
The ASX defines a material exposure
in this context as a real possibility that
the sustainability risk in question could
substantively impact the listed entity’s
ability to create or preserve value for
security holder over the short, medium
or long term. Definitions for economic,
environment and social sustainability
risks15
focus on long term impacts.
15
Economic sustainability: the ability of a listed
entity to continue operating at a particular level of
economic production over the long term.
Environmental sustainability: the ability of a listed
entity to continue operating in a manner that does
not compromise the health of the ecosystems
I which it operates over the long term.
Social sustainability: the ability of a listed entity
to continue operating in a manner that meets
accepted social norms and needs over the
long term.
While security holders are specifically
referenced, the commentary supporting
7.4 acknowledges sustainability risks have
the potential to impact a much broader
set of stakeholders including employees,
customers, suppliers, creditors,
consumers, government and the local
communities in which it operates.
ASIC Regulatory Guide 247
ASIC’s Regulatory Guide 247 provides
guidance around the content of an entity’s
OFR or directors’ report which forms
part of a listed entity’s annual report and
contains information investors would
reasonably require to make an informed
assessment of the entity’s operations,
financial position, business strategies
and future prospects.
Section 247.63 recommends that the
OFR should include a discussion of
environmental and other sustainability
risks where those risks could affect the
entity’s achievement of its financial
performance or outcomes disclosed taking
into account the nature and business of
the entity and its business strategy.
Where do companies report
their disclosure?
The OFR or directors report forms part
of an entity’s annual report as required by
the Corporations Act 2001. Therefore any
sustainability risks with the potential to
impact the entity’s financial performance
would be included in the OFR.
Under listing rule 4.10.3 ASX listed
entities need to include in their annual
report either a corporate governance
statement or make reference to where the
statement may be found on its website.
Recommendation 7.4 goes on to provide
further advice that this particular
recommendation may also be met
by a cross reference to an entity’s
sustainability report. Although
such a report is not a requirement
of this recommendation.
Are you ready to report?
In order to comply with both the ASX and
the ASIC recommended requirements,
entities need to ask some key questions:
•• Do we have a risk management
framework to meet the ASX
requirements?
•• Have I identified my key economic,
environmental and social
sustainability risks?
•• Was the approach to identifying
these risks robust and transparent?
•• Do I understand my stakeholders’
perspective on my entity’s
sustainability risks?
•• Does my board understand
sustainability and sustainability risks,
and will they be comfortable signing
off on the disclosures.
•• How and where are we going to
disclosure our sustainability risks?
12. Let’s talk sustainability10
Identifying material sustainability risks
Realising the benefits
within your organisation
Reporting | Beyond compliance
Kathryn Franklin
Melbourne
kathryn.franklin@au.ey.com
Meg Fricke
Melbourne
meg.fricke@au.ey.com
There is no disputing that external
stakeholders have driven the
sustainability disclosure agenda, as they
demand more than compliance based
financial information to provide them
with a broader understanding of overall
company performance.
Investors want assurance that companies
understand and are mitigating a wide
range of risks. Up-stream organisations
require that suppliers disclose a range
of non-financial issues including
environmental, and health and safety
performance. Customers are showing
their interest in brands with strong
sustainability platforms. And NGOs
continue to focus on the environmental
and social impacts of companies
particularly around supply chain,
human rights and the environment.
Sustainability disclosure provides
companies with the opportunity to
respond to these external stakeholders.
Regulation, usually considered a lag
indicator, is reflecting these demands
with international and local bodies,
including the ASX and ASIC, now
requiring companies to report their key
sustainability risks (See article: Regulators
put spotlight on sustainable disclosures:
are you ready to comply?). Key to this
sustainability disclosure is ability to
identify those material sustainability risks,
as well as corresponding opportunities.
While organisations use a variety of
standards and frameworks to determine
risk — be they financial, community,
employee or reputational risks — the key
differentiator between traditional and
sustainability risk assessments is the
consideration of external stakeholder and
long term perspectives that is applied to
the later.
There is no doubt that traditional risk
assessments provide a sound process
for risk management, however there is a
significant opportunity for organisations
to complement this with the outcomes of
a comprehensive assessment of material
sustainability risks.
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
G4 and AA1000 Principles Standard
both provide guidance on how to define
material sustainability issues. While they
involve gathering input from internal
stakeholders within the business,
they are explicit in the need to include
contributions from a range of external
stakeholders including investors,
suppliers and customers. The AA1000
also incorporates a review of the broader
external environment looking at issues
being reported in the media (both
traditional and non-traditional), and by
peers, industry bodies and NGOs. It is
this external review that adds a different
dimension to the risk assessment and
which provides an opportunity to identify
emerging risks and potential red flags, as
well as opportunities.
This external perspective is extremely
valuable, also providing a significant
opportunity to drive internal performance
and mitigate non-financial risk.
However there are many recent examples
of companies who failed to consider
issues from a longer term and external
perspective. In the environmental space
we saw companies that had not taken
into consideration the impact of palm
oil production when it had been on
the NGO agenda for some time. These
companies then scrambled to address
the cost implications, when considered
analysis of material risks from an external
perspective would have identified
the issue early on. The importance of
understanding social risk in the supply
chain was firmly put in the spotlight
following the tragedy in the clothing
manufacturing industry in Bangladesh.
External stakeholders are telling
companies these issues are important to
them but many companies discount or
underestimate the potential impact that
these issues and external stakeholders
can have on their business when they fail
to respond.
13. ey.com/au/sustainability 11
Key steps:
•• Clearly document and communicate the process for identifying
material issues. Input from external sources is vital but also involve
senior managers to gather their perspectives but also to engage them
in the process and the outcomes. A robust process will give the board
and the executive team confidence in the outcomes and will satisfy
them that the issues identified are truly those that matter
to stakeholders.
•• Externally report on how you are managing those material issues.
Set targets. Report on targets. Give details on how you are managing
the issue.
•• Use the information to work with internal stakeholder to develop
a response to managing key sustainability issues. Set targets and
improvement opportunities. Provide frequent performance reporting
against targets to ensure feedback is timely and opportunities for
improvement, (be they behavioural or process), can be identified and
implemented. Engage with the broader workforce.
While a solid review of material
sustainability issues forms the basis
of sound sustainability disclosure, it
also presents opportunities for internal
audiences, from the board to site based
working groups, to use the information
to not only mitigate risk but to help
drive performance. Management of
these issues does not have to fit into
an annual reporting cycle. They can
be monitored and assessed as often as
required. Improvement opportunities
can be implemented as soon as they are
identified. Employees can be engaged in
the process and provide immediate input.
While an assessment of your material
sustainability issues provides a platform
for transparent disclosure to stakeholders,
it also provides the link to developing an
internal sustainability strategy, driving
associated sustainability initiatives, raising
management awareness of sustainability
risks and opportunities, and integrating
the sustainability and corporate strategy.
In the next edition of Let’s talk: sustainability we will look at how to
use the information from sustainability reports to support internal
reporting and drive improvement throughout your organisation.