Katowice, Poland, 5 December 2018:
The Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia (BCSD Australia) joins a number of global and Australian organisations, businesses and business organisations in the signing of this Katowice Declaration on Sound Carbon Accounting: Avoiding Double Counting in Carbon Markets.
We thank the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) for leading the development of the language of the Declaration.
The need for a carbon price is an economic necessity if countries such as Australia are to ensure a just transition to a low-carbon world. The adoption and implementation of a carbon price across the Australian economy during 2012 – 2014 served the dual aims of reducing emissions and ensuring no net harm to Australia’s economic growth.
Recent statements from leading resource companies, BHP, Rio Tinto and Woodside calling for a carbon price highlight the need to define common rules on monitoring, reporting and verification of commitments and that their implementation will be vital for long term private sector planning and investments, and to understand and avoid competitiveness distortions.
We, as the peak Australian body representing sustainable Australian businesses, support this Declaration as it encourages transparency - because businesses and households are more likely to support a carbon pricing mechanism if they know how the revenues are use, equity and accountability in the development and operation of carbon markets at international, regional, national and sub-national levels.
Sustainable Australian businesses are fully committed to the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement. We have joined with our fellow constituencies to support the Parties’ work over the next two weeks and ensure that we leave this COP24 Conference with a clear and comprehensive Paris Rulebook to enable national adoption and certainty for business enterprise and investment.
Producing the Paris Rulebook at COP24 will:
send a strong global signal that there is continuing and united political will to tackle climate change;
provide greater certainty on both near- and long-term climate policies for Australia;
stimulate further enterprise and investment from Australia’s private sector;
mobilise the development and deployment of technology and know-how; and
promote effective enhancement and implementation of Australia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
ENDS.
Link to the Katowice Declaration on Sound Carbon Accounting.
Link to the official media release from IETA on the Declaration.
For more information, please contact: Andrew Petersen CEO BCSD Australia t: +61 (0)2 8005 0780 m: +61 (0)412 545 994
About the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia (BCSD Australia)
Previously known as Sustainable Business Australia, the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia (BCSD Australia) is the national peak body representing forward-thinking companies and organisations that are working towards the transition to a sustainable Australia. Our mission is to accelerate this transition by making sustainable business more successful. We are the Australian partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the Australian focal point for the Natural Capital Coalition. Our members come from all sectors and industries, representing more than 150,000 employees across Australia. www.bcsda.org.au
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