Are asset managers and engineers generally familiar with their organisations’ sustainability and climate change objectives?
If a decision-making framework exists within the organisation, does it benchmark against sustainability indicators in addition to performance, Capex, and Opex?
Most importantly, how does an organisation produce tenders that incentivise sustainable resource use, low carbon and clean energy; how do you evaluate and reward these proposals; and how do you submit tenders that leverage these aspects?
These are just a few of the questions many engineers and infrastructure managers need to understand and answer on an increasingly regular basis.
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The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) is the mechanism designed to achieve Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction target of 5 per cent below the level of emissions that existed in 2000, by improving the relative competitiveness of low-carbon products and services.
The Federal Government planned a range of measures to ease the impost of the cost, including significant allocation of free permits to businesses that are emissions-intensive and trade-exposed. Many believe that these ‘freebies’ meant the CPRS is, in reality, a reward system for the big polluters.
For the moment, the CPRS is an academic discussion, due to the Federal Government’s decision in late April 2010to defer implementation of the scheme until after the conclusion of the current Kyoto commitment period in late 2012. However, the climate change regulatory framework is fast evolving and, for a number of reasons, smart managers will remain focused on how to make the transition.
The existing emissions reduction framework
The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System has, for the first time, enabled the public to compare and contrast which businesses are the largest emitters of GHG and the greatest users and producers of energy. In addition, the Prime Minister’s Taskgroup on Energy Efficiency is reviewing “the most economically and environmentally effective mechanisms to deliver major improvements in Australia’s energy efficiency.”
Dominique La Fontaine is Principal Consultant – Climate Change Strategy with pitt&sherry. She was the inaugural CEO of the Clean Energy Council, and also played a key role in the establishment of the Global Wind Energy Council as a member of the Executive. She has participated in the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate and represented the clean energy industry at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bali. Ms La Fontaine was also a founding member of the International Business Council for Sustainable Energy.
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