Decarbonisation is not just an environmental imperative, but also a significant economic opportunity.
With the race to net zero now on, businesses are undergoing a significant transformation. There are key legal and commercial considerations in the reduction of carbon emissions across our economy – from energy, transport, infrastructure and the built environment, through to manufacturing, mining and agriculture. Together, we need to overcome a global logistics problem by collaborating and thinking about the challenge in a different way.
The adoption of renewable energy sources and implementation innovative technologies will play a key role in the decarbonisation of energy intensive and hard-to-abate sectors. The energy transition has attracted considerable private capital, but a gap remains in identifying suitable investment opportunities that balance out the risks and the returns.
We are advising on some of the most complex decarbonisation programs across the energy, mining, property, agriculture and property sectors.
Our decarbonisation insights
A (net zero) Future Made in Australia: what to expect and how the tax system plays a key role
As the world transforms to net zero emissions and undergoes the most significant changes since the industrial revolution, the Federal Government’s decarbonisation plan aims to make Australia an indispensable part of the global economy.
13 September 2024
Consumer Energy Resources: AI and automation
Consumer energy resources (CERs) are consumer-owned devices that generate, store, or manage electricity.
05 September 2024
Sustainable aviation fuel in Aussie skies? Government nods but more consultation needed
The Federal Government’s much-anticipated “Aviation White Paper – Towards 2050” landed on 26 August 2024.
03 September 2024
Can the data centre goldrush go green? Malaysia’s Johor shows we can move fast, but more is needed
Johor sits at the southern tip of Malaysia, minutes away from neighbouring Singapore. Lesser known than the nation’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, and less developed than its most populous state of Selangor, Johor – and its capital Johor Bahru – are rapidly rising in prominence.
29 August 2024
The Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive: what to expect (and why more detail is needed)
The Federal Government's commitment to fostering a Future Made in Australia is set to introduce significant incentives for businesses engaged in the critical minerals sector.
22 July 2024
Risks of Gen AI - Energy and ESG
The vast majority of AI systems are trained and deployed on power-hungry servers housed in large data centres that use enormous amounts of electricity and water, amplifying the effects of climate change that are already being felt around the world.
23 May 2024
Carbon farming methods in 2024: proponents to start putting pen to paper
As predicted in our previous alert, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has now launched a new proponent-led approach to developing new Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme methods.
23 May 2024
Federal Budget May 2024-25: Green Energy & Advanced Manufacturing
The Government has provided some details regarding its recently announced Future Made in Australia package.
14 May 2024
Future Gas Strategy – Transitioning towards net zero
On 9 May 2024, the Federal Government released the Future Gas Strategy, which will guide the Australian Government’s policymaking to support Australia’s economic transition to net zero.
14 May 2024
Carbon Markets Regulatory Tracker
As Australia transitions to a low-carbon economy, we see carbon markets play an increasing role to help achieve net zero ambitions. Staying on top of deadlines and developments is essential.
26 March 2024
Climate litigation review 2023: disputes heat up (no cool change ahead)
The global trend of increased climate litigation showed no signs of abating in 2023. Several new proceedings were instituted in Australia, including by regulators as they take an increasingly active approach particularly in relation to ‘greenwashing’.
21 February 2024
Driving ESG Accountability – Regular Reassessment is crucial
In the rapidly changing environmental, social and governance (ESG) landscape, regularly reassessing commitments and practices is critical.
19 February 2024
Carbon Farming Methods in 2024: passing the pen from Government to proponents
has held the pen when it comes to deciding what carbon farming projects can be carried out and what boxes those projects must tick under the relevant methods to be eligible.
12 February 2024
Sleeping Carbon Giant Awakes: China’s Renewed Voluntary Carbon Market is Here – What You Need to Know
The long-awaited renewal of the China Certified Emission Reductions (CCER) market is expected to drive trading activity, develop the market and spur innovation. This is a critical step towards China reaching its ‘30.60’ decarbonisation target: peak emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.
26 January 2024
ESG Predictions: What path awaits in 2024?
We canvassed our ESG experts across the firm for their predictions of key changes and trends expected in 2024.
01 January 2024
Climate Active Reforms: dumping “carbon neutral” and getting real with direct emissions reductions
On Friday 20 October, the Commonwealth Government announced its proposed updates to the Australian Government’s Climate Active certification program.
02 November 2023
What carbon offset strategy best suits your business?
The voluntary carbon markets present a range of opportunities for business to execute its decarbonisation strategy. Under Australia’s predominant carbon market, the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme administered by the Clean Energy Regulator, more than 13 million ACCUs were transacted in the first quarter of 2023. This is over half the number transacted in 2022, and more than the total transacted in 2020 and 2021 combined.[1]
05 September 2023
The Safeguard Mechanism is now law – here’s your to-do list for Australia’s new carbon rules
The Federal Government has reformed the Safeguard Mechanism to put Australia’s largest industrial emitters on a pathway to net zero by 2050.
08 August 2023
Green is the new black! Australia and Singapore trailblaze with ‘first-of-its-kind’ Green Economy Agreement
On 18 October 2022 trade ministers in Australia and Singapore signed the Green Economy Agreement (GEA).
20 October 2022
Chapter 2: Powering a net zero world
In 2020, 85% of China’s primary energy needs were met with fossil fuels and 72% in Australia. This is the base from which China and Australia must transform their energy generation and use.
14 September 2022
The decarbonisation imperative
From offsetting and abatement, through to offtake and renewable energy procurement – this session explores the various initiatives businesses are implementing to support decarbonisation targets, as well as the regulatory reform currently underway.
Enabling sustainable growth through carbon offset projects and opportunities for agriculture development, to the trading of carbon units and the operation of carbon markets.
KEY CONTACT
