Carbon pricing
Consideration of carbon pricing issues—timeline
Pricing carbon has been subject to ongoing consideration in Australia over an extended period of time. The significant milestones and documents since the 2006 establishment of the states and territories National Emissions Trading Taskforce are set out along the timeline below.
In 2008 the Australian Government announced the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), a cap-and-trade emissions trading scheme designed to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. Legislation to implement the scheme was rejected in the Australian Parliament twice, and reintroduced into Parliament with amendments on 2 February 2010.
In September 2010, the Government announced the establishment of the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee to consult, negotiate, and report to the Cabinet, through the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, on agreed options for the implementation of a carbon price in Australia; and to provide advice on, and participate in, building community consensus for action on climate change.
On 24 February 2011 the Government, through the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee, announced the broad architecture of a carbon price mechanism.
On 10 July 2011, the Government released its Clean Energy Plan, which includes a Carbon Pricing Mechanism.
Timeline and key documents
The following table lists key milestones for the development of a carbon pricing mechanism from 2006 to the present.