The Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, said today’s release of data on greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption from more than 300 corporations demonstrates another step towards a clean energy nation.

The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting data is released annually by the Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer in the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. It is designed to:

• inform government policy and the Australian public about emissions;
• help meet Australia’s international reporting obligations;
• assist Commonwealth, State and Territory government programs and activities; and
• avoid the duplication in reporting requirements in the States and Territories.

Due to a drop in publication and reporting thresholds, the number of corporations with data published in 2009-10 has increased from the first report, in 2008-09. In 2008-09 the publication threshold was 125 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalence. For the 2009-10 period the threshold was lowered to 87.5 kilotonnes.

“By requiring companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, they gain a better understanding of their carbon footprint and where they might find  opportunities to reduce emissions,” Mr Combet said. “With a carbon price, business will be motivated to innovate and cut their emissions.”

“Emissions accounting is essential for a future carbon pricing mechanism and it is good to see the progress which has been made in the reporting cycles to date.

“It also reinforces the Gillard Government’s commitment to help companies cut pollution and to invest in clean energy, through the certainty of a carbon price. A carbon price will drive investment in clean energy and reduce carbon pollution.”

The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) scheme was introduced by the Howard Government in 2007 to provide data and accounting to underpin a future carbon price mechanism to start in 2012. The NGER data is available at: www.climatechange.gov.au