Transcript

PRME Seminar “Responsible Management of GHG Emissions”

Fri 14 October 2011Gujji Muthuswamy

Department of Management

Faculty of Business and Economics

The context for the presentation

• View Climate Change in three parts: – Climate Science (What is it, Why, How etc.) – Mitigation of Emissions (How shall we reduce it? Carbon pricing mechanism is

just one way of reducing Greenhouse gases (GHG)– Adaptation (How will we adapt to a more hostile climate?)

• Each part requires input from many disciplines: – Science / Engineering, – Economics / Finance / Accounting, – Law – Medicine, etc.

• The University has three major functions:– Research (building new knowledge)– Teaching (Disseminating knowledge and building new researchers)– Outreach ( contribution to public policy, consultancy, communication).

• Thus we have a 3-D matrix comprising 3 aspects, ‘n’ disciplines, and 3 functions.

The focus of this presentation

• It is a very broad canvass but provides a structure for our thinking both at the macro level (e.g. University’s overall strategy) and at Faculty / Department level ( e.g. what should XYZ Department do?).

• My presentation looks at a small part of this canvass:– A brief outline of the carbon pricing mechanism– Perspective of one Faculty, i.e. Business and Economics.

• A structure to look at the issue .

Pricing the carbon - Basics

• GHG emitted by many economic activities e.g. Power generation, transport, cement, steel, aluminium, chemical, refineries, agriculture, and households. – (e.g. burning coal in power station results in CO2 emissions from

the chimney).

• CO2 is now at zero cost So no economic incentive to reduce emissions Impact on Climate change.

• Australia burns coal for about 80% of its electricity needs.

• Electricity generation accounts for about 37% of our total GHG emissions.

This presentation is based on “Securing a clean energy future – The Australian Government’s Climate Change Plan”, July 2011

Pricing the carbon – (contd)

• If carbon is priced into the economic process:• Cost of power generation will go up; and hence• Cost of electricity to the consumer overall will go up • Also, cost of coal-fired electricity, now low, will go up more because

they emit more CO2 (compared to gas fired ), and • Renewable technologies will become even more competitive,

because they emit almost no CO2

• So, how do you create a price for carbon? – Direct mechanisms: Carbon Tax, Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)– Indirect mechanisms: Regulations (e.g. Building and appliance

efficiency), Renewable Energy Target Scheme, Energy Efficiency Certificate scheme, Subsidies and incentives labelled “Direct Action” schemes.

Projections (Ref: Fig 2.4 “Securing a clean energy future”)

Top 500 emitting

businesses

Australian total emissions = 542 Mil Tonnes

Tax / ETS affects only the Top 500 emitters in:

Electricity, waste, rail, domestic aviation and shipping, industrial processes, fugitive emissions,

GHG

Customers & Householders

Top 500 emitting

businesses

GHG emissions

Demand for Products & services

Customer demand, e.g. for electricity, drives the supply side and hence the GHG emissions.

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

Customers & Householders

Top 500 emitting

businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

Demand for Products & services

All other businesses

Need 1 permit to emit 1 Tonne of GHG

July 12: Issue about 337 Mil permits at $ 23/Tonne (set by Govt)

Collect $ 7.740 Bil.in 2012/13

Collect $ 24.5 Bil in 3 years to 2015.

ETS from 2015. Price determined by market forces.

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

Customers & Householders

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Demand for Products & services

GHG emissions

Example of EITEs: Aluminium, Steel, Cement, Pulp & paper etc.

$ 9,2 Bil worth of free permits in 2012/15 period.

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Demand for Products & services

GHG emissions

Free permits to EITEs to minimise ‘carbon leakage’

94% for high intensity and 66% for moderate emission intensity activities.

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

High emissions power stations

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Pay $ to close some

Demand for Products & services

GHG emissions GHG emissions

$ 5.5 Billion worth of free permits over 6 years to generators emitting more than 1 Tonne/MWh.

Aust average is 0.88 Tonnes/ MWh

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

High emissions power stations

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Pay $ to close some

Prices go up Demand for

Products & services

GHG emissionsGHG emissions

Affected businesses will pass on costs to customers and householders.

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

High emissions power stations

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Financial Compensation $$

Pay $ to close some

Prices go up Demand for

Products & services

GHG emissionsGHG emissions

About $14.9 Bil of assistance to householders out of $24.5 Bil permit revenue in 2012-15.

Tax reduction and cash assistance.

ASSISTANCE NOT LINKED TO PERMIT PRICES.

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Investment in Renewable

Technologies----------

Investment in R&D

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

High emissions power stations

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Uses permit revenue $$

Financial Compensation $$

Pay $ to close some

Prices go up Demand for

Products & services

GHG emissionsGHG emissions

Invest $ 10 Bil over 5 years plus other assistance

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Investment in Renewable

Technologies----------

Investment in R&D

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

High emissions power stations

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Uses permit revenue $$

Financial Compensation $$

Pay $ to close some

Prices go up

Incentive to reduce permit costs by reducing GHG emissions.

Demand for Products & services

GHG emissionsGHG emissions

Expect investment by industries in low emissions technologies

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Investment in Renewable

Technologies----------

Investment in R&D

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

High emissions power stations

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Uses permit revenue $$

Financial Compensation $$

Pay $ to close some

Prices go up

Incentive to reduce permit costs by reducing GHG emissions.

Demand for Products & services

GHG emissionsGHG emissions

Investment inEnergy

efficiency

Promotes energy efficiency

# 23 Mil over 5 years

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Investment in Renewable

Technologies----------

Investment in R&D

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

High emissions power stations

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Uses permit revenue $$

Financial Compensation $$

Pay $ to close some

Prices go up

Incentive to reduce permit costs by reducing GHG emissions.

Demand for Products & services

GHG emissionsGHG emissions

Investment inEnergy

efficiency

Promotes energy efficiency

$

$

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Investment in Renewable

Technologies----------

Investment in R&D

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

High emissions power stations

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Uses permit revenue $$

Financial Compensation $$

Pay $ to close some

Prices go up

Incentive to reduce permit costs by reducing GHG emissions.

Demand for Products & services

GHG emissionsGHG emissions

Investment inEnergy

efficiency

Promotes energy efficiency

$

$

Carbon Farming Initiative

(creates ACCU)

Promote carbon sinks

$ 1.2 Bil in 5 yrs

Government issues permits.

Fixed price: “Carbon tax”Variable price via ETS.

Gets $

GlobalCompetitors to

Aust EITEs

Overseas customer

Customers & Householders

Investment in Renewable

Technologies----------

Investment in R&D

Energy intensive trade exposed

Sector(EITE)

High emissions power stations

Top 500 emitting

businesses

All other businesses

Permits

$

GHG emissions

MostlyFreePermits

No$

Maintain Exports

$

Uses permit revenue $$

Financial Compensation $$

Pay $ to close some

Prices go up

Incentive to reduce permit costs by reducing GHG emissions.

Demand for Products & services

GHG emissionsGHG emissions

Investment inEnergy

efficiency

Promotes energy efficiency

$

$

Carbon Farming Initiative

Promote carbon sinks

Forward Estimates: Total for 2012-15 ($ Bil)Ref: Appendix C “Securing a clean energy future”

Permit + other revenue 27.3

Household assistance 15.4

Support for jobs (EITEs)

10.3

Clean Energy Finance Corporation

0.9

Energy security (assistance to generators)

3.1

Land & bio diversity 1.2

Governance 0.4 31.2

Net Impact (3.9)

Governance

• New regulatory agencies– The Climate Change Authority– Clean Energy Regulator– Productivity Commission Reviews– Energy Security Council– Australian Renewable Energy Agency

• Other agencies– Clean Energy Finance Corporation

• New programs– Carbon Farming Initiative (aimed at the farming sector)– Energy Savings Initiative (applies to energy retailers only)

• Existing major program– Renewable Energy Target Scheme (applies to energy retailers only) – Energy Efficiency Opportunities program (applies to all big energy users).

Implications for AcademiaMajor topic: GHG mitigation via Carbon pricing

Department : XYZ

Sub topics Research Teaching Outreach

GHG measurement & reporting

Investment in mitigation projects

Carbon and energy markets operation

Accounting, auditing

Compliance with regulations

Pricing and Risk Management

Cash flow management