Launch of the Australian Carbon Trust
In May 2009, the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, announced that it would spend AU$75.8 million over 5 years to establish the Australian Carbon Trust. He said that the Australian Carbon Trust “will be developed in collaboration with the Carbon Trust in the United Kingdom, which is a leader in working with business to cut carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies”. The Australian Carbon Trust is based in Brisbane, Australia.
Scope
There are currently two principal activities under the Australian Carbon Trust:
An Energy Efficiency Savings Pledge Fund to help households and small businesses understand how to cut energy costs and save carbon. They can then pledge the carbon they save (by paying the equivalent carbon price) to reduce the national carbon emission targets.
An Energy Efficiency Trust to leverage investment in energy efficiency activities in commercial buildings and other business operations, through
- public seed funding
- private sector skills & culture
- technical knowledge
Product carbon footprinting in Australia
In October 2008, the Carbon Trust with support from the UK Government, launched a methodology, PAS 2050, for analysing the carbon emissions generated in the lifecycle of a product's carbon footprint. The methodology covers emissions from:
- Raw materials
- Manufacture
- Distribution
- Usage
- Disposal or recycling
Commercial
subsidiaries of the Carbon Trust in the UK now offer product carbon footprinting services, as well as a carbon reduction label. The label can be displayed on products that have been measured and made a commitment to reduce their carbon footprint. This is offered in Australia in a partnership between the Carbon Trust in the UK, and Planet Ark in Australia.
The Carbon Reduction Label, in partnership with Planet Ark
On 30th June 2009, we announced the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) to establish a Carbon Reduction Label scheme in Australia – with Planet Ark 
, the Australian not for profit, environmental organisation.
The growing scheme represents a strategic opportunity for Australian businesses to measure, analyse, reduce and communicate their product’s carbon footprint. The scheme also empowers consumers to make purchasing decisions that will help reduce the impact of climate change.
