Pulling The Greenhouse Trigger Or Pushing The CPRS Button?

Key Points:
A greenhouse trigger would mean projects which generated levels of greenhouse gas emissions over a threshold would be referred to the Commonwealth Environment Minister for determination as to whether it is a "controlled action" which would then require the approval of the Minister for the project to be obtained.

On 29 June 2009, the interim report into the review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 was released. Commissioned by the Federal Minster for the Environment, Peter Garrett, the review headed by Dr Allan Hawke advocates against the inclusion of a greenhouse trigger in the EPBC Act if the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is introduced in the near future.