Welcome to the first edition of Carbon Matters

Climate change is one of the biggest issues facing our environment - one that will impact on many generations to come. There has been extensive debate about how we should respond to this challenge, and how this will affect our economy both in the short and long term. How we manage and reduce carbon emissions is central to this debate.

EPA Victoria believes that there are great opportunities for those businesses which tackle this challenge early. We want to support businesses who appreciate the benefits of managing future risk associated with carbon, and those who understand that early action not only has better environmental outcomes, but will also place their business in a stronger position to take advantage of future economic conditions.

In order to provide practical support to businesses interested in tackling climate change, we knew that EPA needed to experience the challenges of going carbon neutral ourselves. We approached it like any other business would have to, making cost-effective direct emissions reduction projects a priority. The process highlighted a need for a comprehensive decision-making framework. We therefore developed and applied the Carbon Management Principles profiled in this newsletter.

We have been transparent about our process and decisions in order to share what we have learnt with others. EPA established the Carbon Innovators Network to help organisations deal with the challenges of carbon management. You may want to manage carbon emissions, plan a robust strategy for carbon neutrality if that is your goal, collate your inventory for reporting requirements, or develop low-carbon products and services. Whatever approach you choose, we hope the Carbon Innovators Network will help you develop strategies and actions that suit your business.

With emissions trading commitments forecast for the future, greenhouse emissions reporting will become an integral part of business practice. For business and industry with significant emissions it will be compulsory to report. State and Territory governments have agreed that if a new reporting system under Federal legislation is not in place by 1 July 2008, the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) will expand to include greenhouse gases in the interim. Mandatory emissions reporting is a fundamental step in preparing for a future carbon market, and will help inform future State and Federal government policy in this area.

After working through the process of going carbon neutral ourselves, I know how challenging and complex the experience can be. There are rewards for businesses taking advantage of the opportunities now, and a strong economy requires a healthy environment. We don't have all the answers yet, but we're beginning to ask the right questions.

Mick Bourke
Chairman
EPA Victoria