The Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Forestry Sector) Amendment Act
Parliament has passed legislation to defer aspects of the current Emissions Trading Scheme.
The Act makes the following changes for pre-1990 forest land:
- the 30 June 2009 final date for applications for pre-1990 forest land less than 50 hectare exemptions has been removed. It has been changed to a date prescribed by regulation or public notice (which date must be no later than 1 July 2010);
- the Climate Change Minister now has the power to revoke, then reissue if required, or suspend for a finite period, the draft Forestry Allocation Plan;
- the first surrender date for pre-1990 forest deforestation obligations has been deferred to no later than 30 April 2011;
- the first notification date for deforestation activities for pre-1990 forests that occurred during 2008 and 2009 has been deferred to 31 January 2010;
- participants will not be penalised for failing to notify deforestation of pre-1990 forests by the current deadline (31 January, 2009 for deforestation in 2008 and 20 working days for deforestation in 2009), provided the participant notifies by the date as amended.
For post-1989 forest land the ETS remains unchanged.
For further information please refer to:
- The Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Forestry Sector) Amendment Act
- Regulatory Impact Statement
- the Parliamentary Business website
Last updated: 3 July 2009
