EDO’s submission to the Safeguard Mechanism reform: consultation on proposed design by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, should be read in tandem with EDO’s submission to the Senate Standing Committee.
As stated in that submission, while the bulk of the Safeguard Mechanism will reside in subordinate legislation, strong drafting of the enabling legislation will serve as the guard rails between which it can operate as Parliament intends. The submission made to the Senate Standing Committee makes recommendations that focus on restricting facilities’ use of offsets to comply with the Safeguard Mechanism, new entrants that are advantaged by improved technologies that facilitate genuine business transformation.
This submission focusses on recommendations for amendments to the Safeguard Rules that partner with the recommendations made for the draft Bill to the Senate Standing Committee. This is to address the major risk to the success of the reforms, that unfettered use of offsets disincentivises and detracts from real emissions reduction.
