The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has demanded large emitters publish their reduction targets in future proposals in an updated greenhouse gas guidance.
In a bid to meet the state’s net zero target, the EPA modified its 2019 guidance to include clarifications regarding the basis for the target and other types of offsets that will be recognised.
The draft guidance was met with public outcry last year, claiming that it would put Western Australia at a disadvantage compared with other states.
The EPA dedicated more than 20 weeks of consultation and received nearly 7000 submissions from the community and industry prior to the final release.
EPA chair Tom Hatton said feedback from the consultation had helped refine the guidance, including amending the definition of a GHG to be consistent with commonwealth measures, and providing further guidance around the offsets that the EPA will recognise.
“Over the past year, the serious consequences of greenhouse gas emissions to our state and nation have become more real to many of us, but entirely in line with our scientific understanding of how greenhouse gas emissions can impact our climate and environment,” Hatton said.
“The level of public interest and concern has grown, but so has the response from industry. Many of the companies operating or proposing to operate in Western Australia have recently made public commitments to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050.
“The EPA welcomes these initiatives and anticipates these commitments will be reflected in the emissions reductions targets and timetables for new proposals.”
Hatton expects the guidance to provide industry with a clear framework for the management of GHG emissions from future proposals.