2011 Annual Conference

2011 CEEM Annual Conference

 Entering a new climate policy era –

Australia under carbon pricing in a post-Kyoto world

Friday 16^th December 2011, John Niland Scientia Building

UNSW Kensington Campus, Sydney

After over a decade of discussion and several false starts, a carbon pricing scheme has finally passed through the Australian Parliament, to commence operation from July 2012. However, much uncertainty remains regarding what will actually happen when a carbon price is introduced, how successfully the fixed price period will transition into the full emissions trading scheme, how it will mesh with complementary measures and the Carbon Farming Initiative, and even how long the scheme will continue to operate. Meanwhile, progress towards an internationally binding treaty to follow the Kyoto Protocol is urgently needed, and it is to be hoped that Australia's scheme will have a positive effect on the UNFCCC COP17 climate conference talks in Durban in December.

CEEM’s 6^th annual conference provided an overview of the implications of a carbon pricing scheme for Australia, drawing upon the latest analysis of overseas carbon pricing schemes. The conference also provided an overview of the implications of the outcomes of the COP17 climate conference in early December for Australia, and whether Australia’s domestic actions enhanced its credibility in Durban.

The conference ran from 9:15am to 4:45pm, with four sessions:

1)     Domestic and International Climate Policy Update

2)     Carbon Pricing – Recent International Lessons

3)     Carbon Pricing – Australian Issues

4)     Complementary Policies under a Carbon Price (includes panel discussion)

The sessions featured ample time for discussion of current and proposed Australian policy efforts and opportunities in the context of international developments. Specific topics discussed included:

• Progress and relevance of international developments
• Choices and issues in the fixed- to flexible-price carbon pricing transition,
• Practicability of repealing the carbon pricing scheme,
• Experiences with market integrity from other emissions trading schemes,
• Voluntary carbon markets and the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI),
• Rationales and principles of selection for complementary climate policy instruments,
• Analysis of recent experiences (including cost) of complementary policy instruments.

The conference was free.

Programme