A diverse range of organisations are already carbon neutral. Certified organisations such as Qantas, National Australia Bank, and Melbourne City Council together offset around 1 million tonnes of emissions per annum under the Carbon Neutral Program.
Reforms to the scheme will make it easier for organisations to become carbon neutral, with the aim of significantly increasing the number of participants and emissions savings.
The Government will work with an industry partner to grow the Carbon Neutral Program, enhance consumer understanding of the National Carbon Offset Standard Trade Mark and boost benefits for programme participants.
The Government will also streamline reporting and auditing procedures, improve guidance on emissions reporting and revise the list of offsets eligible under the National Carbon Offset Standard.
New versions of the National Carbon Offset Standard and the Carbon Neutral Program Guidelines will be released in the coming months.
This work is part of the Government's ongoing commitment to working with business to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The National Carbon Offset Standard provides a benchmark for organisations in Australia voluntarily seeking carbon neutrality for their operations, products, services or events.
The Carbon Neutral Program gives organisations the opportunity to have their operations, products services and events certified as carbon neutral, offering consumers wider carbon neutral purchasing choices.
The Carbon Neutral Program complements other government measures to reduce emissions including the Emissions Reduction Fund, Safeguard Mechanism and Renewable Energy.
The Emissions Reduction Fund has already delivered 47 million tonnes of emissions reductions to date. The Renewable Energy Target will double renewable energy in the next five years.
