Review of Climate Change Act

The Minister for Environment and Climate Change has announced the Victorian Government will undertake a review of the Victorian Climate Change Act 2010.

Read the media release announcing the review (PDF - 85 KB)

The introduction of the Federal Government's Clean Energy Bills into Commonwealth Parliament triggers section 19 of the Victorian Climate Change Act 2010 (the Act), which requires the Minister for Environment and Climate Change to:

  • undertake a review of the Act; and
  • table a copy of the review before each House of Parliament within 10 sitting days of that House after the completion of the review.

The Act was passed by the Victorian Parliament in September 2010 and came into effect on 1 July 2011. It is available at the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website.

For more information about the Act see the:

Terms of Reference

The Review will examine the Act with respect to:

  • the impact of a national carbon price on the Victorian Government's climate change policy objectives as outlined in the Act; and
  • appropriate policy mechanisms to achieve the Victorian Government's policy objectives as outlined in the Act.

Seeking your views

The review of the Climate Change Act welcomes your comments.

The review will examine the Act in light of the introduction of the Federal Government's Clean Energy Legislative Package – which includes the carbon pricing mechanism – into Commonwealth Parliament.

Public submissions should focus on comments relevant to the terms of reference and key elements of the Act (as described below).

The Victoria Climate Change Act 2010:

  • legislates Victoria's emissions reduction target of 20 per cent by 2020 (based on 2000 levels)
  • requires decision makers to take climate change into account when making specified decisions
  • requires the Government to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan every four years
  • requires the Government to report every two years on climate change science and emissions data
  • repeals the Forestry Rights Act 1996 and creates new arrangements for the ownership, registration and transfer of forestry and carbon sequestration rights
  • amends the Environment Protection Act 1970 to enable the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to recommend that the Governor in Council make regulations to allow the EPA to regulate the emission of greenhouse gas substances
  • enables the Government to enter into Climate Covenants with communities, regions, industry and other stakeholders.

Submissions may be published on the Victorian Government's climate change website. If you do not want your comments to be published, please clearly mark your document as 'CONFIDENTIAL', either in part or full.

Please lodge your submission by Monday 28 November 2011.

Written comments and/or submissions must include your name and address and should be sent:

By email to: legislation.review@climatechange.vic.gov.au

By mail to:
Review of Climate Change Act
PO Box 500
East Melbourne 8002

For general enquiries about the review of the Climate Change Act please email
legislation.reviewenquiries@climatechange.vic.gov.au

Submissions Received

The review received over 300 submissions from a range of stakeholders - peak bodies, associations, and individuals.

View submissions received by the review