2024 has seen significant reports released by leading international climate change bodies around beyond value chain mitigation, and new research in the level of carbon dioxide removals needed after net zero to maintain a safe climate. The Revised Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Carbon Offsetting note that low investment reversal risk carbon removals must scale up one thousand-fold by 2050. This increase not only reflects a balance of emissions, but accounts for residual emissions. While Australia continues to make strides in decarbonising its industry, electricity and transport, this workshop will explore the role of a national removals target in supporting a resilient net zero trajectory.

In November, COP29 – “the finance COP” – will deliver the new collective quantified goal on climate finance, which will replace the 2009 Copenhagen climate finance goal of USD100 billion a year channelled to developing countries by 2020. It is will now well recognised that private sector finance has an increasingly important role in supporting public finance for developing countries’ climate change mitigation and adaptation. This workshop will explore how private sector finance has an equally important role to play in supporting the global transition towards net zero.

Following the first year of reporting under Australia’s reformed Safeguard Mechanism, this panel will look at the impact of the reforms through project emissions reductions and changing corporate investment strategies from captured facilities. While the decreasing baseline will continue to capture greater numbers of industrial facilities in the mechanism, we explore the prospects of expanding the mechanism to include sectors such as electricity and transport, and how an economy wide carbon price through the mechanism can support Australia’s emissions reduction targets.

Electricity is Australia’s largest emitting sector, and while we currently have a target for 82% renewable power by 2030, remain challenges to achieve this remain around supply, firming, grid upgrades and ecological conservation. This panel will bring together industry experts to consider the opportunities in large scale renewable energy uptake, and how these are balanced with human rights, ecological protection and circular economy principles.

Fugitive emissions are some of the most difficult to eliminate in companies’ supply chains, and yet represent some of the “lowest hanging fruits” as far as emissions reductions are concerned. Equally, there is a well-acknowledged need to invest in enhanced removals technologies that will permanently store or remove lingering atmospheric greenhouse gases. This workshop will explore factors constraining the uptake of key technologies such as direct air capture and carbon capture and storage in Australia, as well as innovative solutions transforming these emissions into usable products.

Transport is Australia’s third highest emitting sector, contributing roughly 21% to Australia’s total emissions profile. While the Government’s electric vehicle target and new vehicle fuel efficiency standards are supporting emissions reductions in light vehicles, longer distance transport continues to pose challenges for decarbonisation. Join this panel as we discuss the challenges and opportunities for decarbonisation in long distance freight and passenger transport, including rail, air and road.

With the Net Zero Economy Authority Bill progressing through the Federal Parliament, Australia will soon have a formal authority to guide its transition to net zero emissions, while ensuring that workers in impacted industries are not left behind. This workshop looks at the role of just transition planning in supporting successful decarbonisation trajectories, while also considering important linkages and knowledge sharing opportunities at an international level.

Australia’s built environment accounts for roughly one fifth of our emissions, and with a growing population decarbonising physical infrastructure is a clear priority. While innovators exist, they come against a challenging flux of market and policy conditions that often hinder rather than help essential low carbon innovations. This workshop will explore the policy puzzle pieces that must come together to support a decarbonised construction industry in Australia.

Ahead of COP16 under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity we look at the ecological impact of rapidly dwindling biodiversity and consider how policy frameworks can support the restoration of healthy, biodiverse ecosystems. This session combines lived experiences and high-level policy perspectives to offer a holistic discussion on the role of market-based solutions in supporting biodiversity improvements.

The Net Zero Economy Agency is establishing new expectations for businesses to assure their resilience in the climate transition. While the principles of a just transition are well known in their application to workers in climate-exposed industries such as mining, their application in the corporate scenario is equally important. This panel will explore how corporates can integrate transition planning into their broader climate change strategies, particularly as new governance requirements around investment, disclosure and education come into effect.

It is well acknowledged that private finance into climate solutions, adaptation and mitigation needs to increase substantially, but what are some of the practicalities of facilitating these flows? Join this workshop to hear from finance and investment experts on how they’re contributing to the climate transition, while still ensuring the economic feasibility of their investments.

With the first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement at COP28 expected reveal even greater urgency, Article 6 and its associated carbon trading mechanisms will be vital for scaling action. 2023 marks 10 years since the commencement of the second period of the Kyoto Protocol, and with the transfer of Clean Development Mechanism activities to Article 6.4 still to be negotiated, we are at a critical turning point. Join us as we look at how Article 6 can deliver critical carbon abatement through international collaboration.

Australia’s transport sector makes up almost one fifth of its emissions, with over half of those emissions coming from passenger cars. This workshop will delve into innovative approaches and technologies that can be employed to reduce this sector’s emissions. While EVs provide a pathway for significant reductions, the panel will consider the policy and investment opportunities for a holistic decarbonisation of the sector, including aviation and shipping.

Rapidly evolving technology and data tools provide greater visibility into the supply chain of carbon credits. How are such tools providing greater security for both the supply and demand sides of the market? What impact does greater data visibility have on potential investment in decarbonisation? Our panel provides some examples of real data and technology solutions, and the impact they are having on transactions in the market. Discussion will include proposed initiatives such as the establishment of Environment Information Australia.