Abstract
Australia’s National Carbon Offset Standard Carbon Neutral Program (NCOS CNP) is identified as one of the leading independent certification schemes worldwide and is thus discussed in greater depth in this chapter. This chapter identifies and discusses several potential issues and challenges for urban development to achieve certification under this programme, thus providing insight and tips for future programmes in other places.
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Notes
- 1.
Australia had a mandatory carbon price on large emitters from 2012 to 2014. It was repealed after a change in government in 2013.
- 2.
The Carbon Price Mechanism came into force in July 2012 and was later repealed in June 2014.
- 3.
Carbon units, which were generated through the mandatory Carbon Pricing Mechanism, would have been eligible as voluntary credits after 1 July 2015, though as the CPM legislation has been removed, these credits are no longer generated. Greenhouse-friendly credits were also available until July 2013.
- 4.
Credits generated under the CFI can be purchased by the government through the ERF scheme.
- 5.
As of the 27 December 2014, See http://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction-fund/cfi/methodologies/determinations.
- 6.
It is generally too complicated to separate a product’s boundaries, particularly when marketing, hence the requirement for an LCA methodology.
- 7.
Downie and Stubbs (2011) suggest it can be up to 75 % of a company’s total emissions.
- 8.
This is the only mention of the construction sector in this revised proposal. As yet, no construction company or developer has sought certification.
- 9.
If RECs are sold, the electricity produced is no longer considered carbon-free as the certificates are going towards assisting a liable entity to meet their quota under the Federal Government’s 20 % Renewable Energy Target (RET). If RECs are retained by the producer of the electricity (e.g. from rooftop PVs), this ensures Australia goes above and beyond what the RET mandates.
- 10.
See the pixel building by Grocon http://www.grocon.com.
- 11.
i.e. the embodied emissions in the materials of buildings, roads and infrastructure, and the upstream and downstream emissions associated with the energy, water and waste cycles and transport.
- 12.
With the exception being if a new greenfield development is being built as a transit-oriented development.
- 13.
- 14.
This issue also impacts on the commercial building rating schemes that have proliferated around the world. While these tools are primarily design tools, attempts are being made to create operational ratings. Nevertheless, the mix of owners and users in large buildings usually makes it difficult to seek any ongoing certification or rating.
- 15.
Kennedy and Sgouridis (2011) refer to this as ‘balancing’.
- 16.
Greenhouse-friendly offsets were only eligible until July 2013.
- 17.
Though the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, is on record stating he personally does not believe in human-induced climate change, or see sufficient reason to take action which will place a financial burden on the economy. See http://www.theguardian.com/environment/planet-oz/2014/jun/16/what-does-australian-prime-minister-tony-abbott-really-think-about-climate-change.
- 18.
Based on the current availability of cheap international offsets.
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Rauland, V., Newman, P. (2015). Spotlight: The Australian Government Carbon Neutral Standard. In: Decarbonising Cities. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15506-7_11
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