Licence to Pollute-V8environmentvictoria.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/... · 2019-11-13 · 4...

LICENCE TO POLLUTEWhy climate pollution is the unfinished business of reforms to the Environment Protection Authority

November 2017

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CONTENTS

SUBTITLE

05 Reforming Victoria’s environmental watchdog

06 TheEPAhasthepowertoregulateclimatepollution

12 HowtheEPAregulatesotherpollution

13 HowtheEPAcouldlimitclimatepollution

15 UnfinishedBusiness

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9 Victoria’s biggest climate polluters

10 Unlimitedpollution:whyVictoria’sbiggestcarbonpollutersmustfacestricterregulation

VICTORIA’S CLIMATE PROBLEM

A MODERN ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATOR IGNORING CLIMATE POLLUTION

HOW THE EPA COULD REGULATE CLIMATE POLLUTION

CONCLUSION

executive summary

04 Whyclimatepollutionistheunfinishedbusiness of reforms to the Environment ProtectionAuthority

LeadAuthor:CatNadel([email protected])

Contributingauthors:MarkWakeham,NicholasAberle

©EnvironmentVictoriaNovember2017.

AuthorisedbyM.Wakeham,CEO,EnvironmentVictoria,Level2,60LeicesterSt,CarltonVictoria3053.Phone(03)93418100,[email protected]

www.environmentvictoria.org.au

This report is printed on 100% recycled paper.

TheEnvironmentProtectionAuthority(EPA)hasthejobofprotectingVictoria’senvironmentfrompollutionandwaste,butitisyettoaddressthebiggestenvironmentalthreatofourtime:climatechange. PhotocourtesyofJodiMagi

EnvironmentVictoriaacknowledgesthatweliveandworkonAboriginallandandthatthiscountrywascaredforovertensofthousandsofyearsbytraditionalownersbeforecolonisation.

4 Licence to pollute | Why climate pollution is the unfinished business of reforms to the EPA

The health of Victoria’s environment is protected and regulated bytheEnvironmentProtectionAuthority(EPA)Victoria.TheEPAiscurrentlyundergoinga$162.5millionreformprocesstoturnitintoamodernregulator,capableofrespondingtothegrowingthreatstoourenvironment.Thesereformsarewelcome,longoverdueandshouldresultinrealbenefitstoVictoria’senvironment.HowevertheEPAisyettoshowthatitwilltacklethebiggestthreatVictoria’senvironmenthaseverfaced–climatechange.

Victoriahascommittedtoactiontokeepglobalwarmingtowellbelowtwodegrees,andthegovernmenthassettargetsforreducingourclimatepollution.Howeverwecurrentlyhavenoregulatorymechanismforensuringweachievetheseimportanttargets.Victoria’sClimate Change ActconfirmsthattheEPAhasthepowertoregulategreenhousegases(GHG)tocontributetothestate’slong-termandinterimemissionsreductiontargets.1ItistimefortheEPAtostartusingthispower.

TheclimatecrisisisunfoldingbeforeoureyesandwillinflictdamagethatwillbefeltacrossVictoria’senvironment,economyandcommunities.MuchofVictoria’sclimatepollutioncanbeattributedtoasmallnumberofindustrialfacilities,allofwhicharesubjecttoEPAlicencing.TheEPAmonitorspollutionatthesefacilitiesbyplacingconditionsonairborneemissionsanddischargesofwasteandwater.HowevertheEPAcurrentlyplacesnorestrictionsonpollutingourclimate

InordertomakethenecessarycutstoclimatepollutiontomeetVictoria’scommitmentstokeepingglobalwarmingsafelybelowtwodegrees,weneedtoreduceemissionsfromVictoria’sbiggestclimatepolluters.ThisreportexplainswhyandhowtheVictorianEnvironmentProtectionAuthority(EPA)shouldputlimitsonclimatepollution.

01executive Summary

Victoria’s Climate Change Act confirms that the EPA has the power to regulate greenhouse gases to contribute to the state’s long-term and interim emissions reduction targets.2 It is time for the EPA to start using this power.

1 Climate Change Act(Vic)2017,s101.


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01executive Summary

TheEPA’spurposeistoprotecttheenvironmentandpeoplebypreventingandreducingharmfrompollutionandwaste.Despitethismandateandasignificantreformprocesstomodernisetheregulator,theEPAisfailingtomonitororpreventpollutiontoourclimate,whichisamajorthreattobothenvironmentalandhumanhealth.

2.1 Reforming Victoria’s Environmental WatchdogThroughout2015and2016,theEPAwassubjecttoanindependentinquirytohelpturnitintoamodernenvironmentalregulator.Thegovernmentacceptedall48recommendationsoftheinquiry,allocating$165.2millionoverfiveyearstomoderniseandstrengthentheEPA.

Thesereformswerewelloverdueandmuchneeded.WhileVictoria’sEPAwasground-breakingwhenitwasestablishedin1971,inrecentyearsithaslackedthenecessarypowerstodealwiththebigenvironmentalchallengesofourtime.

Keypointsofreformincluded:

•changingthefocusoftheEPAtopreventingharmratherthanrespondingtopollution

•greaterabilitytoholdpolluterstoaccount,includingspeedierprosecutionsandstrongerpenalties

•creatingaspecialistenvironmentalpublichealthteam

•strengtheningtheroleoftheEPAinmineregulationandstrategiclanduse planning

02A modern environmental regulator ignoring climate pollution

CHAPTER 03Victoria’s climate problem


•creatingaChiefEnvironmentalScientisttostrengthenthescientificbasisoftheEPA’sregulatorywork

•buildingawhole-of-governmentapproachtoimprovingenvironmentaljustice(howpollutionandenvironmentalconditionsaffectpeopleindifferentsocio-economiccircumstancesandlocations).

TheEPAhassincedevelopedanewfive-yearstrategytoimplementtheirnewstrategicdirection.Thisstrategyrecognisesclimatechangeasathreat,butincludesnodetailonactionsitwilltaketoaddressit:

“We will be responsive to the challenges presented by population growth, production expansion, new technologies, emerging chemicals and evolving threats such as climate change.

As a modern and agile regulator, Environment Protection Authority will work alongside community, business and government, to protect health and the environment by preventing the harmful effects of pollution and waste. We make that promise to the people of Victoria.3

– Our Environment, Our Health, EPA Organisational Strategy 2017

Despitethegoodprogressthesereformsrepresent,theywillremainunfinishedbusinessaslongastheEPAfailstoclarifywhenorhowitwillbeginregulatingandlimitingclimatepollution

2.2 The EPA has the power to regulate climate pollutionInadditiontotheinquiryintotheEPA,Victoria’sClimateChangeActwasalsosubjecttoanindependentreviewin2015.TheIndependentReviewCommittee(IRC)madeitveryclearthatEPAregulationofCO2 emissions throughtheirlicencesoperatingwasaviablewayforVictoriatoachieveourclimatecommitments.

Despite the good progress these reforms represent, they will remain unfinished business as long as the EPA fails to clarify when or how it will begin regulating and limiting climate pollution.

3EnvironmentProtectionAuthority,EPA Organisational Strategy: Our Environment, Our Health,<http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/our-strategy>

Above: LoyYangAbrowncoalpowerstationinVictoria’sLatrobeValley,Victoria’slargestsourceofclimatepollution.PhotoNicholasAberle

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“The IRC believes that to be a leader in climate change, Victoria should, like many other jurisdictions, adopt measures that reduce emissions at their source. There are a suite of options for doing so, including imposing emissions limits under Environment Protection Authority (EPA) licences, establishing a state-based emissions trading scheme ….even the accelerated phase-out or upgrade of high GHG emitting facilities.

In particular, the IRC notes that while it is clear that the Environment Protection Act 1970 provides the EPA with the power to regulate GHG, the provisions of the State Environment Protection Policy (Air Quality Management) limit the EPA’s capacity to bring about significant reductions in emissions. For this reason, the Act needs to clearly remove any ambiguity around the EPA’s authority to do so.”4

That the EPA can and should regulate greenhouse gas emissions was thenconfirmedintheupdatedClimate Change Act 2017 5.Section101 amended the Environment Protection Act 1970 to give the EPA the power:

To recommend to the Governor in Council the making of statutory policies and regulations—

(i) to regulate the emission of greenhouse gas substances to contribute to the State’s long-term emissions reduction target and interim emissions reduction targets under the Climate Change Act 2017 5; and

(ii) to regulate the emission and discharge of greenhouse gas substances to reduce harm to the environment; 6

NowisthetimefortheEPAtoactonthis.

4IndependentReviewoftheClimateChangeAct,2010.P18


6 Amending Environment Protection Act 1970,s13(1)(ga)(ii)


Victoriancommunitiesarealreadyexperiencingdrierwintersandhottersummers.Ifwecontinueonourcurrentpathof4degreesglobalwarming,andevenifwelimitwarmingto1.5–2degrees,Victoriawillbeforcedtodealwithclimateimpactslikeheatwaves,cropfailures,coastalerosionandbushfires.7 As Professor Ross Garnaut concluded inhisfamousreview:“thefailureofourgenerationonclimatechangemitigationwouldleadtoconsequencesthatwouldhaunthumanityuntiltheendoftime.”8

Despitetheseimminentthreats,Victoria’sclimatepollutionhascontinuedtorise.WhileVictoriadoeshavealegislatedcommitmenttoreducingouremissionsby2050,largeclimatepollutersresponsibleforthoseemissionshavenoconstraintsonhowmuchCO2theyarepermittedtopollute.

03Victoria’s climate problem

Figure 1. Emissions of Victoria’s ten most pollutingfacilities.9

7DrDavidAlexander,ProfessorWillSteffenandProfessorLesleyHughes.(2017)Hot and Dry: Australia’s Weird Winter, BushfireandNaturalHazardsCRC(2017a) Southern Australia Seasonal Bushfire Outlook 2017.<https://www.bnhcrc.com.au/hazardnotes/38>

8PRRossGarnaut,GarnautClimateChangeReview,<www.garnautreview.org.au>

9EmissionsforLoyYang,YallournandLoyYangBpowerstationsarefromtheCleanEnergyRegulator,Electricity sector emissions and generation data 2015-16.EmissionsdataforotherfacilitiesaredrawnfromtheEmissionReductionFund’sSafeguardMechanism’sreported baselines.Thesefiguresarelikelytobeslightlyaboveactualannualemissions,butthereisnobetterdatainthepublicdomain.Thisisaprobleminitself.Thepublichastherighttoknowhowmuchdifferentfacilitiescontributetoclimatechange.

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Above: PollutionandsteamfromAGL’sLoyYangApowerstation,Victoria’sbiggestcontributortoclimatechange.

PhotoFlickerUserHourannBoscilicensedunderCC

Figure 2.Victoria’semissionssince1990,showingthemajorcontributionofjusttenlargefacilitiesinthemostrecentyearofdata.10

3.1 Victoria’s biggest climate pollutersMuchofVictoria’sclimatepollutioncanbeattributedtoasmallnumberofindustrialfacilitites(Figure1).Thelargestandmostobviousareourthreeremainingcoal-burn�ngpowerstations–LoyYangA,LoyYangBandYallourn–whicharebyfarVictoria’slargestsourcesofCO2.Otherbigpollutersincluderefineries,gaspowerstations,chemicalplantsandthePortlandaluminiumsmelter.EmissionsfromthesefacilitiesandotherbigpolluterswillneedtobeactivelyconstrainedifVictoriaistomakeameaningfulcontributiontoglobaleffortsonclimatechange.

10 NationalGreenhouseGasInventory,<ageis.climatechange.gov.au>


EvenaftertheclosureofHazelwoodpowerstation,Victoria’semissionscouldcontinuetoriseintheabsenceofcoherentpolicytocurbpollutionacrosstheeconomy.11TheVictoriangovernment’sClimateFramework,releasedinearly2017,providesabroadoutlineforclimateaction.SpecificpolicymeasuressuchastheVictorianRenewableEnergyTargetandEnergyUpgradesProgramarecontributingtoemissionreductionacrossthestate.However,ifwearetomeetourclimatecommitments,moreneedstobedonetocutemissionsfromVictoria’sbiggestpolluters.

3.2 Unlimited pollution: Why Victoria’s biggest carbon polluters must face stricter regulationIneffective Federal thresholdsCoherentclimatepolicycapableofsignificantlyreducingAustralia’semissionsisurgentlyneededifwehopetokeepglobalwarmingwellbelowtwodegrees.HoweverAustralia’slargeemittershaveoperatedinanuncertainandhighlypoliticisedclimateandenergypolicyspaceformanyyears.Theyaresubjecttosomelimitssetatthefederallevel,howevertheselimitsaresetabove“businessasusuallevels”,renderingthemmeaninglesswhenitcomestocuttingpollution.

Thefederalgovernment’sSafeguardMechanismoperatestoensurereductionspurchasedthroughtheEmissionReductionFundarenotoffsetelsewhereintheeconomy.Itdoesthisbysettingabaselineforeachfacilitythatemitsover100,000tonnesofCO2peryear,inmostcases,basedonthehistoricalhighpointofemissionsbetween2009

With no sign that the Turnbull government will take the necessary steps to reduce climate pollution, it is critical that leading states like Victoria start tackling this problem.

Above: ProtestersinMelbournecallingforstrongeractiononclimatechange.TheVictoriangovernmenthascommittedtoclimateleadership,butlacksaregulatorymechanismtocutgreenhousegasemissions

11MichaelSlezakandNickEvershed,(2017),‘Recorddropinelectricityemissionscancelledoutbyrisesinothersectors.’The Guardian,https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/08/record-drop-in-electricity-emissions-cancelled-out-by-rises-in-other-sectors

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12CleanEnergyRegulator,Baselines,<www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/NGER/The-safeguard-mechanism/Baselines>

13DepartmentofEnergyandenvironment,Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: March 2017,<http://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/climate-science-data/greenhouse-gas-measurement/publications/quarterly-update-australias-national-greenhouse-gas-inventory-mar-2017>p10

14SuzanneHarter,(2015)“Abbott’s safeguard mechanism essentially a licence to pollute” Renew Economy,<http://reneweconomy.com.au/abbotts-safeguard-mechanism-is-effectively-a-licence-to-pollute-26640/>

15 Climate Change Act(Vic)2017,s6

16 Climate Change Act (Vic)2017,s101

17StateEnvironmentProtectionPolicy(AirQualityManagement),cl33,18,19,ProtocolforEnvironmentalManagement(GreenhouseGasEmissionsandEnergyEfficiencyinIndustry).http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/programs/past-programs/industry-greenhouse-program

and2014.12Forthisreasoncompaniesareveryunlikelytogoovertheirbaselines,meaningnoreductionsinclimatepollutionensueasaresult.Specialallowancehasbeenmadefortheelectricitygenerationsector,despiteitbeingresponsiblefor34percentofAustralia’semissions.13 Herethethresholdissetfortheentiresector,andintheeventthissectoralthresholdisexceeded,generatorswillhaveuntil2022beforeitrevertstofacilitylevelbaselines.

Whilethesafeguardmechanismistheoreticallyalimit,itssettingsandaseriesofloopholesmeanthatitinnowayconstrainsAustralia’sbiggestclimatepolluters,nordoesitrequirethemtoactivelyreducetheirpollution.14WithnosignthattheTurnbullgovernmentwillacttotakethenecessarystepstoreduceclimatepollution,itiscriticalthatleadingstateslikeVictoriastarttacklingthisproblem.

Victorian climate commitments InVictoria,thegovernmenthassettargetsandcommitmentsforloweringourclimatepollution,howeverwecurrentlylackaregulatorymechanismforensuringweachievethesetargets.

Atthestartof2017,theVictoriagovernmentenactedanewClimate Change Act(Vic)2017,whichsetsVictoriaonapathtonetzeroemissionsbytheyear2050.15 The Act provides for a series of interim emissions reductiontargetsassteppingstonestowardsthe2050target.Inadditiontorequiringsectoralandwhole-of-governmentpledgestoreduceemissions,theActconfirmsthattheEPAhasthepowertoregulategreenhousegassubstances,tocontributetothestate’slong-termandinterimemissionsreductiontargets.16

The EPA has had the power to regulate climate emissions since long beforeitwasconfirmedinthe Climate Change Act.InfactcurrentregulationsenabletheEPAtoencouragefacilitiestoavoidandminimise greenhouse gas emissions through protocols contained in theStateEnvironmentProtectionPolicies(AirQualityManagement)(SEPP(AQM)).17 These policies do not facilitate or enforce emission reductionfromVictoria’sbiggestpollutersandurgentlyneedtobeupdatedsothattheEPAcanstartplayinganactiveroleincuttingclimatepollution.

AsanexperiencedenvironmentalregulatortheEPAisinastrongpositiontodevelopandrecommendtogovernmenttheregulatorychangesthatwouldenabletheauthoritytobestpreventpollutiontoourclimate.StrongregulationofGHGemissionsbytheVictorianEPAisanessentialnextstepforclimatepolicyinVictoria.

There is currently nothing that requires Victoria’s biggest climate polluters to reduce their emissions.


04How the EPA could regulate climate pollution

4.1 How the EPA regulates other types of pollutionForover45yearstheEPAhasdeliveredregulatorypolicythatlimitspollutiontoland,waterandtheair.TheEPAcouldusetheirexperiencepreventingharmfromtraditionalpollutantstoinformtheirresponsetoclimatepollution.

TheEPAcurrentlyregulatesVictoria’slargestpollutersforthefollowingairbornepollutants:

•benzene •oxidesofsulfur

•carbonmonoxide •nitrogendioxide

•chlorinecompounds •particles(PM2.50andPM10)

•chlorinedioxide •sulfurdioxide

•flurinecompounds •sulfurtrioxide

•hydrogensulfide •totalvolatileorganiccompounds18

•oxidesofnitrogen

Thesepollutantsareextremelyharmfultohumanhealthaswellasthelocalenvironment.AsdemonstratedinEnvironmentalJusticeAustralia’sreport Toxic and Terminal19 the emissions limits for these substances are far less strict than emissions limits in other countries and need to beimproved,andadditionalharmfultoxinssuchasmercuryneedtobeconstrained.

18Mostlicenceshaveadditionalconditionsforpollutantstolandandwater.Licencesareavailablehere:http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/licences-and-approvals/licences

19EnvironmentJusticeAustralia,(2017)Toxic and Terminal, How the regulation of coal-fired power stations fails Australian communities. <envirojustice.org.au/powerstations>

Above: Victoria’sseventhlargestpollutingsite,MobilAltonaRefineryiscurrentlypermittedtopollute811,594tonnesofCO2peryearundertheERFSafeguardMechanism.

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4.2 How the EPA could limit climate pollutionTheEPAcanuseitspowertorecommendnewpoliciesandregulationtolimitclimatepollutioninanumberofways:

• Annual emission limits:

Similartothewayotherairbornetoxinsarecurrentlyregulated,theEPAcouldsetanannualdischargelimitasalicencerequirement.LiketheSafeguardMechanism,thislimitcouldinitiallybebasedonpastemissions,butinordertobeeffective,limitswouldbetightenedannually.ThiswouldensureemissionsdecreaseinlinewithVictoria’scurrentandfutureinterimemissionreductiontargetsandwouldbeconsistentwithoperatorsobligationstopursuecontinuousimprovementundercl18(3)(b)oftheSEPP(AQM)20.

• Emissions intensity limits:

Thiswouldinvolvesettingalimitontheemissionsintensityoftheactivitiesateachfacility.Thiswillbemostappropriateforelectricitygenerators,wherethereisaneasilymeasurableoutput(ie.howmuchCO2isgeneratedperunitofelectricity).Victoria’scoalgeneratorshavethehighestemissionsintensityinthecountry.

• Limited life derogation:

ThisconceptcomesfromtheUK’simplementationoftheEuropeanUnion’s Industrial Emissions Directive21,whichregulatesairbornepollutionfromlargecombustionplants.Essentially,plantsdeemedtoopollutingarescheduledtocloseatadateinthemediumtermfuture,butintheinterimaregrantedamaximumnumberofhourstheymayoperatebeforethattime.IntheUK,thatis17,500hoursbetween2016and 202322.Thisoptioncouldoperateintandemwithanemissionsintensityapproach.Operatorscouldbegrantedamaximumnumberofhoursofoperationiftheirfacilitiesfailtomeetthesetemissionsintensitylimit.

TheEPAiscurrentlyundertakingasectorspecificreviewofthelicencesissuedtoVictoria’spowerstations.23ThispresentsaperfectopportunitytoexercisetheEPA’sclimatepowersbysettinglimitsontheCO2emissionsofVictoria’slargestclimatepolluters.

20StateEnvironmentProtectionPolicy(AirQualityManagement),cl18(3)(b)

21EuropeanCommission,IndustrialEmissionsDirective,<http://ec.europa.eu/environment/industry/stationary/ied/legislation.htm>

22EnergyUK,IndustryGuidance,<http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/policy/environmental-regulation/industry-guidance.html>

23EnvironmentProtectionAuthority,LicencingImprovement,<www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/licences-and-approvals/improving-the-system/licensing-improvement>


How polluting facilities could comply with requirements to reduce their climate emissionsTherearethreemainwaysfacilitiescouldreducetheirgreenhousepollution.

1. Improve efficiency: Havingalimitonpollutionthattightensovertimesendsaclearsignaltooperatorstoimprovetheefficiencyoftheirfacilities.Whilehelpingtocutclimatepollution,thiswillhavetheaddedbenefitofimprovingcost-competitivenessoftheiroperations.Anyon-sitepowergenerationcouldbereplacedwithrenewables.

2. Curtail output: Iffacilitieshadanannuallimittheymustnotexceed,theoperatorscouldmonitortheircumulativeannualemissionsandmanagetheiroutputaccordingly.Electricitygeneratorsalreadydonotoperateatfullcapacityallyearround,24 and output could be further curtailedattimesoflowelectricitydemand.

3. Trading:Somefacilitieswillfinditeasierthanotherstoreducetheirclimatepollution.Tradingschemesareawell-knownmechanismtoenablefacilitiesthatcannotcuttheirpollutiontopurchasecreditsfromfacilitiesthatcan.

Thesepracticesarenotnewsuggestionsforreducingemissionsforoperatingfacilities.Infactfrom2002until2006theEPAIndustryGreenhouseProgramrequiredlargetomediumenergyuserstoreviewandaudittheirenergyuseandgreenhousegasemissions,identifymeasurestoincreaseenergyefficiency,andimplementactionplansforitemswithapaybackperiodofthreeyearsorless.25

From2008to2013theEPA’sEnvironmentandResourceEfficiencyPlansalsorequiredlargeenergyuserstoidentifyandimplementresourceefficiencyactions.26SadlybothprogramshavebeendiscontinuedandallthatremainsaretherequirementsintheSEPP(AQM),whichonceagainprovidenoincentivesorrequirementsforexistingfacilitiestoadequatelyreducetheiremissions.

ConsistentwiththeEPA’snewfocusonharmprevention,wesuggesttheEPAworkcloselywithfacilitiesandtheiroperatorstodeterminehowemissionscanmosteffectivelybereducedateachindividualsite.Thiswillbemosteffectiveiftherearerealconsequenceswhenpollutersfailtocurbtheiremissions.ThiscouldbetheperfectopportunityfortheEPAtoexerciseitsnewgeneraldutytotakereasonablypracticablestepstominimiserisksofharmfrompollutionandwaste.27

Consistent with the EPA’s new focus on harm prevention, we suggest the EPA work closely with facilities and their operators to determine how emissions can most effectively be reduced at each individual site. This will be most effective if there are real consequences when polluters fail to curb their emissions.

24ElectricityStatementofOpportunities2017,<https://www.aemo.com.au/-/media/Files/Electricity/NEM/Planning_and_Forecasting/NEM_ESOO/2017/2017-Electricity-Statement-of-Opportunities.pdf>

25EnvironmentProtectionAuthority,IndustryGreenhouseProgram,<http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/programs/past-programs/industry-greenhouse-program>

26EnvironmentProtectionAuthority,TheEREPprogram,http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/programs/past-programs/erep-program

27 Independent Inquiry Into The Environment Protection Authority,Recommendation12.1

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05CONCLUSION

Victoria’s environmental watchdog has protected Victoria’s environment frompollutionfor45yearsandiscurrentlyundergoinga$165millionreformprocess.Despitethesemuchneededreforms,theEnvironmentProtectionAuthorityisstillfailingtotackleclimatechange.

TheEPAmonitorspollutiontoourair,landandwater,butisallowingclimate polluters to dump unlimited amounts of greenhouse gases into ouratmosphere.Thesepolluterseffectivelyfacenoregulationorreallimitsatthestateorfederallevel.

Placinglimitsonclimatepollution,andanabilityandwillingnesstotightenthoselimitsovertime,isgoingtobecriticaltoVictoriameetingourexistingemissionsreductiontargets(includingtheshorttermtargettocutemissionsby15to20percentby2020)andanyfuturetargetsthatareconsistentwithVictoria’spledgetokeepwarmingwellbelowtwodegrees.

Victoria’snewClimateChangeActconfirmsthattheEPAhasthepowertoregulateclimatepollutionthroughamendmentstoout-of-dateregulatoryinstrumentsliketheSEPP(AQM)andbyrecommendingnewmoreeffectivepolicyincludinghardlimitsonGHGemissions.Andwithover45years’experienceregulatingothertypesofpollution,theEPAiswellplacedtopreventharmtoVictoria’sclimate.

Theyhavethepowerandtheexpertise–alltheyneedisthewill.RegulatingclimatepollutionistheunfinishedbusinessontheEPA’spath to becoming a modern regulator equipped to deal with the big environmentalchallengesofthe21stcentury.

Level2,60LeicesterSt,CarltonVictoria3053 | (03)93418100 | [email protected] | www.environmentvictoria.org.au

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