Climate change policy and legislation will drive the transition to a low carbon economy faster. The legislation will provide opportunities and risks for businesses and organisation to succeed.
The table below represents legislation of each country, however please contact us on 0845 504 997 or +44 1753 544 741 or email info@purecarbonzero.com for how pure carbon zero can help your business or organisation become legally compliant.
Australia |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme | A mandatory emissions trading scheme covering emissions of all Kyoto Protocol GHGs from stationary energy, transport, fugitive, industrial processes, waste and forestry. The Scheme is starting this year. | Mandatory |
| Energy Efficiency Opportunities | Encourages large energy-using businesses to improve their energy efficiency, by requiring them to identify, evaluate and report publicly on cost effective energy savings opportunities. | Mandatory |
| Greenhouse Gas Reduction Scheme | Mandatory emissions trading scheme in New South Wales. Aims to reduce the GHG emissions associated with electricity production and use through project-based offset activities. | Mandatory
(New South Wales only) |
| Victorian Energy Efficiency Target | Aims to encourage the uptake of energy efficient technology in the state of Victoria. Large electricity and gas retailers are required to acquire and surrender Victorian energy efficiency certificates, which are created by installing energy efficient technologies in residential properties. | Mandatory
(Victoria only) |
Canada |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Clean Air Act | Proposed legislation taking an integrated approach to reducing emissions of both air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Would move industry from current voluntary compliance to strict mandatory action. | Mandatory |
| Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act | Provides for a yearly Climate Change Plan to be made describing measures to be taken to ensure Canada meets its targets under the Kyoto Protocol. | Mandatory |
EU |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| 20 20 by 2020: Europe’s Climate Change Opportunity | This legislation sets targets for climate change action:
- 20% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020, rising to 30% if there is an international agreement committing other developed countries to similar targets
- 20% share of renewable energies in EU energy consumption by 2020
These EU-wide goals are broken down into specific targets for each Member State. Energy efficiency is expected to play a key role in achieving these targets, with aims for a 20% improvement in energy consumption compared to business as usual projections for 2020, or 1.5% of real energy savings per year. | Mandatory |
| EU Emissions Trading Scheme | The Scheme covers CO2 emissions from the power sector (all fossil fuel generators over 20MW), oil refining, cement production, iron and steel manufacture, glass and ceramics, and paper and pulp production. Member States are required to develop a National Allocation Plan, setting targets for emissions from the relevant sectors and allocating allowances to installations for the relevant periods. All installations (representing about 40% of EU emissions) are thus set an absolute emission cap (6,600 MtCO2 in Phase I of the scheme). Allowances are freely tradable - installations may buy or sell allowances as they see fit. Phase II of the EU ETS began in 2008 and imposes tighter restrictions, as well as auctioning the allowances instead of distributing them freely. | Mandatory |
| European Climate Change Programme | Aims to identify and develop all elements of an EU strategy to implement the Kyoto Protocol. | Mandatory |
France |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Bilan Carbone | Methodology for carbon accounting for French organisations. | Voluntary |
| White Certificate Trading | Energy suppliers must meet government-mandated targets for energy savings achieved by their residential and tertiary customers. Suppliers exceeding or undercutting their objectives can trade energy savings certificates as required for compliance. | Mandatory |
Germany |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Coalition Agreement | This agreement set out objectives to, amongst others, double energy productivity by the year 2020 compared with 1990, and increase the energy efficiency of 5% of existing buildings built before 1978 every year. | Mandatory |
Global |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) | The most widely used accounting protocol for greenhouse gas emission quantification, suitable for calculating carbon footprintsfor voluntary reporting. It is also the basis for a number of mandatory emission reporting systems. | Voluntary |
Japan |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Trial Emissions Trading Scheme | Voluntary emissions trading scheme, incorporating targets from two previous voluntary schemes. The scheme targets emissions from electricity production and industry. A planned domestic offset system will be used to promote emission reduction in the agriculture and transport sectors. | Voluntary |
New Zealand |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Bill | This Bill sets out measures for the gradual introduction by 2013 of an emissions trading scheme for all six Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases, with emissions caps set for all major sectors of the economy: forestry, transport, stationary energy, industrial processes (non-energy), agriculture and waste. | Mandatory |
Switzerland |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Swiss Emissions Trading Sche me and CO2 Tax | The Scheme allows companies covered by voluntary emission reduction agreements to convert these to mandatory targets, allowing them to participate in emissions trading and exempting them from the CO2 tax. Allowances for Scheme participants are freely allocated, but the CO2 tax (currently CHF 12/tonne) is payable on all emissions not covered by an allowance. | Mandatory |
UK |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Carbon Reduction Commitment | A mandatory emissions trading scheme targeting large commercial and public sector organisations using more than 6,000MWh of electricity through mandatory half hourly meters. Organisations will have to buy allowances for emissions at an auction, with the total number of allowances set by the Government. Revenue from the auction will be recycled to scheme participants. The scheme is expected to begin in 2010. | Mandatory |
| EU Emissions Trading Scheme | The Scheme covers CO2 emissions from the power sector (all fossil fuel generators over 20MW), oil refining, cement production, iron and steel manufacture, glass and ceramics, and paper and pulp production. Member States are required to develop a National Allocation Plan, setting targets for emissions from the relevant sectors and allocating allowances to installations for the relevant periods. All installations (representing about 40% of EU emissions) are thus set an absolute emission cap (6,600 MtCO2 in Phase I of the scheme). Allowances are freely tradable - installations may buy or sell allowances as they see fit. Phase II of the EU ETS began in 2008 and imposes tighter restrictions, as well as auctioning the allowances instead of distributing them freely. | Mandatory |
| Climate Change Act | Aims to improve carbon management to help the transition to a low carbon economy and demonstrate strong international leadership. The Act is a legally binding formal commitment to address the causes and manage the impacts of climate change in the UK. | Mandatory |
| Building Regulations | The building sector accounts for 40% of the EU’s energy usage and offers the largest single potential in energy efficiency. The main regulations are:
- Energy Certificates
- Building Regulations Part L 2006(Part J in Scotland and F in Northern Ireland)
- In addition the UK government has announced targets for all new housing to be “zero carbon” by 2016 and new commercial building by 2019
National Indicators requiring local government to calculate carbon emissions on all their building and services year on year scheme started 2009.
|
Mandatory |
USA |
| Legislation | Details | Mandatory/Voluntary |
| Climate Registry | Non-profit organisation that sets standards to calculate, verify and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions on a voluntary or mandatory basis. | Voluntary |
| Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule | Based on authority provided by the Clean Air Act, the US Congress has directed the EPA to publish a greenhouse gas reporting rule, requiring reporting of greenhouse gas emissions above certain thresholds in all sectors of the economy. The final rule is expected to be complete in June 2009. | Mandatory |
| Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) | Emissions trading scheme in ten Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maryland, targeting emissions from fossil fuel fired power plants with a capacity of 25 MW or higher. | Mandatory in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maryland |
| Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program | Department of Energy programme encouraging organisations to report on greenhouse gas emissions, emission reductions, and sequestration activities. | Voluntary |
