more on the Emissions Reduction Fund

If one concedes that the price on carbon will be removed in favour of the new Australian Government's Direct Action Plan, one has to wonder how it will work and how Australia will reduce carbon emissions.

The Australian Government's Emissions Reduction Fund is proposed to commence operations on 1 July 2014. The fund will apparently be designed to purchase low cost abatement.

I have been thinking about some of the activities which may receive incentives for abatement activities including:

•           re-vegetation and land management

•           soil carbon

•           forestry

•           energy efficiency

•           recycling

•           cleaning up power stations

•           cleaning up waste coal mine gas

•           cleaning up landfill

I wonder where one draws the line between providing incentives to activities where there are already economic, social, moral, legislative or environmental drivers in place.

I also have concerns and reservations on how reliable or verifiable soil carbon is as an abatement activity.  

The wonder if the Direct Action Plan will contain any mechanisms for tying abatement to international development assistance.  

The Government invites public comment on Terms of Reference on the design of the Emissions Reduction Fund. Submissions are required by 5pm (AEDT) Monday 18 November 2013.