Energy Law and the Environment

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Dedication......Page 7
Contents......Page 9
List of figures and tables......Page 15
Preface......Page 22
1.1 Energy production and trade in Australia......Page 25
1.2 How Australia uses energy......Page 26
1.3 Uptake of renewable energy in Australia......Page 27
1.3.1 The Allen Consulting Group’s Sustainable Energy Jobs Report......Page 28
1.4 Renewable Energy Action Agenda......Page 29
1.5 The role of biofuels......Page 31
1.6 Is there a place for nuclear energy in Australia\'s future energy mix?......Page 32
2\rEnergy technologies and sustainable\rdevelopment......Page 34
2.1.1 Buildings......Page 35
2.1.3 Road transport......Page 36
2.1.4 Industry......Page 37
2.2.1 Solar energy......Page 40
2.2.2 Wind energy......Page 43
2.2.3 Geothermal energy......Page 45
2.2.4 Biomass......Page 46
2.2.5 Other renewable energy resources......Page 47
2.2.6 Hydrogen and fuel cell vehicle technology......Page 49
2.3 Advanced fossil fuel and nuclear technologies......Page 50
2.4.1 Law in context......Page 52
2.4.2 Law, economics and education......Page 53
2.4.3 The meaning and scope of energy law......Page 54
3.1 The role of energy in international law......Page 58
3.2 Customary international law......Page 62
3.3.1 The Acid Rain Convention......Page 65
3.3.2 Nuclear energy conventions......Page 69
3.3.2.1 Conventions relating to nuclear safety standards\rand State responsibility......Page 70
3.3.2.2 Nuclear emergencies conventions......Page 73
3.3.3 Climate Change Convention and Kyoto Protocol......Page 74
3.3.3.1 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change\r(UNFCCC)......Page 76
3.3.3.2 The Kyoto Protocol......Page 77
3.3.4 Energy Charter Treaty and Protocol on Energy Efficiency......Page 81
3.3.4.1 Energy Charter Treaty......Page 82
3.3.4.2 Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Matters......Page 84
3.4.2 The Rio Declaration......Page 90
3.4.3 Agenda 21......Page 91
3.4.5 World Summit on Sustainable Development......Page 92
3.4.5.1 Accessibility of energy......Page 93
3.4.5.5 Energy and transport......Page 94
3.4.6 Johannesburg Plan of Implementation......Page 95
3.4.6.1 Climate change......Page 97
3.4.7 The G8 Gleneagles 2005 Plan of Action......Page 98
3.5 Conclusion......Page 100
4.1 Australia’s vulnerability to climate change......Page 102
4.2 Constitutional responsibility for managing\renergy and climate change......Page 104
4.3 The Australian government\'s responses at an international level to greenhouse gas emissions......Page 105
4.4 Responses from civil society to the refusal\rto ratify Kyoto......Page 108
4.5 The Federal government adopts a ‘no-regrets’ policy on climate change......Page 109
4.6 The Senate reviews the Federal government\'s response to global climate change......Page 111
4.7 Restructuring and underspending of the AGO......Page 112
4.8.1 Planning for results and program objectives......Page 113
4.8.5 Appraisal and selection......Page 114
4.8.9 Conclusions......Page 115
4.9.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation\rAct 1999 (Cth)......Page 116
4.9.3 Assessing wind farm developments under the EPBCA......Page 117
4.9.4 Are forestry activities a matter of national significance?......Page 118
4.10.1 Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (Cth)......Page 119
4.10.1.2 Renewable energy sources......Page 120
4.10.1.3 ‘Liable entities’ under the Act......Page 121
4.10.1.4 Acquiring sufficient RECs: what risks for ‘liable entities’?......Page 122
4.10.1.4.2 Calculating the RPP......Page 123
4.10.1.5 Lodging energy acquisition statements......Page 124
4.10.1.7 Registers......Page 125
4.10.2.3 Energy, environment and industry policy considerations......Page 126
4.10.2.5 Eligibility and operational issues......Page 127
4.11.1 Emissions from fuel......Page 128
4.11.2 Encouraging biodiesel and ethanol......Page 129
4.12 Energy efficiency and motor vehicles......Page 131
4.13 Clean coal technology......Page 132
4.14 Australia joins new Asia-Pacific Partnership\ron Clean Development and Climate......Page 134
5\rSustainable energy in the Australian\relectricity and gas sectors......Page 136
5.1.1 Restructuring of electricity markets and environmental impacts: international experience......Page 137
5.1.1.1 US Congress......Page 140
5.1.1.2 Denmark......Page 141
5.1.2 The Australian experience of electricity restructuring......Page 142
5.1.2.1 Are COAG agreements constitutionally sound?......Page 144
5.1.2.2 How the National Electricity Market works......Page 145
5.1.2.3 What have been the environmental impacts of the NEM?......Page 147
5.1.2.4 COAG agrees to review the NEM......Page 148
5.1.3 Changes to the regulation of the NEM......Page 150
5.1.3.1 New regulatory bodies......Page 151
5.1.4 Criticism of the 2005 energy market reforms......Page 152
5.2 Restructuring Australia\'s gas market......Page 153
5.2.1.1 The Gas Access Regime and the Gas Code......Page 154
5.2.2.3 Need to increase upstream competition......Page 155
5.2.2.6 Removal of market distortions in the retail sector......Page 156
5.2.3 MCE accepts need for further penetration of gas into\rAustralian energy market......Page 157
5.2.4 Conclusion......Page 158
5.3.1 Investment and services......Page 159
5.4 The need to design a sustainable energy market\rfor Australia......Page 160
5.4.1 The need for enforceable legal measures rather than\rvoluntary programs......Page 161
6.1.1 Profile of State greenhouse gas emissions......Page 163
6.1.2 States agree to establish a carbon emissions\rtrading scheme......Page 164
6.1.2.1 New South Wales Greenhouse Benchmarks Scheme......Page 165
6.1.2.2 ACT Greenhouse Benchmarks Scheme......Page 168
6.1.2.3 Recognising a carbon sequestration right......Page 169
6.1.3.1 NSW Greenhouse Strategy......Page 170
6.1.3.2 Victoria\'s Greenhouse Strategy......Page 171
6.1.3.4 South Australia\'s Greenhouse Strategy......Page 173
6.1.3.5 Western Australia\'s 2004–08 Greenhouse Strategy......Page 174
6.2.1 New South Wales......Page 175
6.2.1.1 Planning and sustainable buildings......Page 176
6.2.2.1 Planning law......Page 177
6.2.2.2 Design and construction guidelines......Page 178
6.3.1 What is green power?......Page 179
6.3.2 Advantages of green power schemes......Page 183
6.3.3 Disadvantages of green power schemes......Page 184
6.4.2.1 Victoria gives legislative support to wind farms......Page 187
6.4.2.2 Victorian government enacts Geothermal Energy Resources\rAct 2005 (Vic)......Page 188
6.4.2.3 Queensland promotes geothermal energy......Page 189
6.4.2.4 NSW government regulates large-scale wind farms and burning\rbiomass energy as renewable energy sources......Page 190
6.4.2.5 South Australia regulates renewable energy facilities......Page 191
6.5.1 Demand-side management......Page 193
6.5.1.1 DSM in NSW......Page 194
6.5.1.3 Demand management initiatives in South Australia......Page 197
6.5.2.1 Appliances......Page 198
6.5.2.2 Buildings......Page 203
7.1 Where is the Australian government going with energy: Securing Australia\'s Energy Future?......Page 206
7.1.1 Fuel excise reform......Page 207
7.1.2 Energy efficiency......Page 208
7.1.4 Energy and climate change......Page 209
7.1.6 Senate Environment, Communication, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee responds to Securing Australi......Page 212
7.1.7 Summary and comment......Page 213
7.2.2 Clean Energy tax incentives......Page 214
7.2.3 National market-oriented emissions reductions schemes\rfor the electricity sector......Page 215
7.2.5 Will we ever have a domestic carbon emissions trading\rscheme in Australia and what might it look like?......Page 216
7.2.6 Effective Renewable Portfolio Standards......Page 217
7.2.8 Demand-side management programs......Page 219
7.2.10 ‘Feed laws’......Page 220
7.3.1 International law......Page 222
7.3.2 National or State law......Page 223
7.3.2.1 Solar energy......Page 225
7.3.2.3 Geothermal energy......Page 226
7.3.2.4 Energy efficiency in industry......Page 227
7.3.2.5 Hydrogen......Page 229
7.3.2.6 Clean coal, oil and gas measures......Page 230
Preamble......Page 232
Common principles......Page 233
Efficiency in energy consumption......Page 234
Energy pricing......Page 235
Consumer information and environmental education......Page 236
Policies and strategies for implementation......Page 237
International cooperation......Page 238
Preamble......Page 239
Article 1......Page 240
Objectives......Page 241
Specific principles......Page 242
Commitments of developed country parties......Page 244
Estimation of energy intensity......Page 245
Commitments of all Parties......Page 246
Information reporting......Page 247
Environmental impact assessment......Page 248
Conference of the Parties......Page 249
Settlement of disputes......Page 251
Amendments......Page 252
Annexes......Page 253
Accession......Page 254
Authentic texts......Page 255
ANNEX A......Page 256
Index......Page 257