The Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water announced yesterday that it is seeking public feedback on the possible effects of renewable energy projects off the NSW Hunter coast. This announcement follows last year’s declaration of part of Bass Strait off Victoria’s Gippsland coast as Australia’s first offshore renewable energy infrastructure zone. Read more

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has published its Climate Change Policy and Action Plan 2023-2026 (Plan). Over the next 12-24 months, under the Plan, the EPA will introduce a number of new requirements for industry participants to take action in response to climate change. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plans, industry-wide emission-reduction targets and emission limits on environment protection licences (EPL) are some of the proposed actions. Read more

The NSW Government has announced new rules for independent planning panels seeking to reduce corruption risks and improve decision-making processes. Read more

On 14 November 2022, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave a keynote address at the B20 summit (the business arm of the G20 summit) on building a strong and resilient economic strategy. Collaboration on climate change was called out by Prime Minister Albanese as a particular opportunity in Australia’s and other nations’ economic recovery from … Read more

The NSW Government has released a revised Large-Scale Solar Energy Guideline (Guideline), which provides updated direction on the planning framework and assessment of State significant development (SSD) solar developments, including how the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) will assess impacts. Read more

The NSW Government has finalised the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan and announced the establishment of a Biodiversity Credits Supply Fund and Taskforce. These initiatives seek to simplify the biodiversity assessment process for parts of Western Sydney and fast track the acquisition of biodiversity credits throughout NSW while improving conservation outcomes. Read more

Government has announced that it will review the operation of the Safeguard Mechanism with a view to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Australia’s highest emitting facilities. Comments on the discussion paper are due by 20 September 2022, with key issues in the discussion paper being calculation of baselines, the use of crediting mechanisms. Read more

The Federal Minister for the Environment and Water released the 2021 State of the Environment Report on 19 July 2022. In releasing the report at the National Press Club, the Minister described three essential goals: to protect, to restore, and to actively manage Australia’s environment. Read more