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Date
29–30 October 2024
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Location
CENTREPIECE, Melbourne
Masterclass: Net Zero Policies, Markets and Frameworks for Corporate Action
Tickets sold separately.
2024 Australasian Emissions Reduction (AER) Summit
Date
29–30 October 2024
Location
CENTREPIECE, Melbourne
The 2024 October Summit comes at a critical juncture as all political parties and independents prepare policies ahead of the election due in early 2025. Following the first year of the enhanced Safeguard Mechanism, the ongoing ACCU Review, and mandatory corporate disclosure implementations, the Summit offers a pivotal point of reflection on Australia’s evolving policy landscape, while also considering these policy developments in the broader climate policy landscape of the Asia Pacific region. We’ll examine these with perspectives across the political and stakeholder spectrum.
CMI is seeking partners to support this event. Further details can be found in the prospectus.
Registrations are now open at the link below.
Secure your stay at Sheraton Melbourne or Sofitel Melbourne on Collins at CMI’s preferred rate.
Monday 28th October, 2024
Masterclass: Net Zero Policies, Markets and Frameworks for Corporate Action
Tickets sold separately.
Pre-Summit Drinks
Invitation-only networking event for event sponsors & special guests.
Tuesday 29th October, 2024
Networking Breakfast
Kickstart the two-day Summit Program with the Changemakers Breakfast, an informal panel discussion and networking event highlighting inspirational young people in the climate change space.
Available to in-person attendees only.
Welcome to Country | Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung
Opening Address | John Connor, CEO, Carbon Market Institute
Ministerial Keynote
Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio
Plenary One: Net Zero Geopolitics, Pathways and Investment
Countries are planning for stronger 2035 emission reduction targets and engaging in the transition to net zero economies amidst turbulent political, economic and social circumstances. It is also a time of exciting innovation in technology, sustainability, policy and disclosure. Join our opening Summit plenary for key perspectives from the US, Europe, the Asia Pacific and Australia which will be followed by a discussion on investment and market implications.
Alden Meyer – US & UNFCCC Perspective
Sandrine Dixson-Declève – European Perspective
Hon. Matt Kean MP – Australian Perspective
Panel Discussion
Join panellists from Plenary One for an in-depth discussion following the opening addresses.
Moderator
John Connor
Chris Halliwell
Plenary Two: Corporate Climate Perpectives
Join corporate leaders to discuss challenges in the corporate transition to net zero emissions. This panel discussion will provide insights into achievements, challenges, and opportunities in developing credible business strategies in a world of some policy uncertainty but accelerating expectation, oversight and urgency.
Shayne Elliott
Dr. Kerry Schott AO
1.1 FINANCE: Scaling Public & Private Finance
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 well recognised that private sector finance has a critical role in supporting public finance for climate change mitigation and adaptation globally. This workshop will explore initiatives including development of the Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy being led by ASFI in partnership with the Commonwealth Treasury, to scale up and guide investments toward supporting the global transition towards net zero.
1.2 NET ZERO SECTORS: Industry & Resources
As the renewable energy transition accelerates, greater focus will fall on industry and resource sectors emission contributions. This workshop will examine the role of the enhanced Safeguard Mechanism, its potential evolution, and the role of aligned policies as well as corporate and consumer expectations in changing investment strategies. As with the other sectors under consideration for Net Zero Plans, cross cutting issues like sustainable finance, carbon market strategies, circular economy and growing social equity, including for First Nation and regional communities, will also be discussed.
Pauline Kennedy
1.3 NET ZERO SECTORS: The Built Environment
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. As with the rest of the 6 sectors under consideration for Net Zero Plans, cross cutting issues like sustainable finance, carbon market strategies, circular economy and growing social equity, including for First Nation and regional communities, will also be discussed.
1.4 MARKETS: Carbon Markets 2.0 – from offsetting and carbon neutrality to removals for negative emission future
2024 has seen significant reports from leading international climate change bodies around beyond value chain, Scope 3, mitigation, and new research into the level of carbon dioxide removals needed after achieving net zero emissions for a safer climate future. The Revised Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Carbon Offsetting note that low reversal risk carbon removals must scale up one thousand-fold by 2050. While decarbonising industry, electricity and transport remain urgent priorities, and as intense scrutiny remains on carbon crediting, this workshop will explore how private and public carbon market strategies can move beyond offsetting neutrality approaches to net zero and net negative emission alignment.
Climate Hotspot: First Nations
Women in Climate Lunch
Join female leaders from across the climate policy ecosystem as they reflect on their unique experiences in the space.
Sharan Burrow AC
Linh Do
Christina Tonkin
Plenary Three: National Decarbonisation Investment Priorities
Progress has continued on substantial climate-related policy reforms as well as investment initiatives and guidelines building on the private investment outcomes leveraged by the CEFC and ARENA. This session will examine the key issues and institutions for Australian investors, taxpayers and stakeholders to maximise opportunities and minimise risks in accelerating Australia’s transition to net zero emissions.
Martijn Wilder AM
2.1 NET ZERO SECTORS: Transport
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. As with the rest of the 6 sectors under consideration for Net Zero Plans, cross cutting issues like sustainable finance, carbon market strategies, circular economy and growing social equity, including for First Nation and regional communities, will also be discussed.
2.2 POLICY: Ensuring Social Licence in the Transition
With the Net Zero Economy Authority, Australia will soon have a formal authority to help guide its transition to net zero emissions, while ensuring that workers, primarily in the energy industry, are not left behind and that regional communities are engaged in opportunities of the transition. Some states have similar institutions or support, and companies are recognising their responsibility in helping to manage the transition. This workshop looks at the role of just transition planning and social licence in supporting successful decarbonisation or other transitions in rural and regional Australia.
2.3 STRATEGY: Corporate Net Zero Transition
As businesses prepare for mandatory climate-related financial disclosures in Australia, international best practice guidance on net zero transition plans also continues to mature and converge. The Australian Government has committed to developing guidance for disclosing net zero transition plans. Work is also underway to develop an independently verifiable international standard on net zero, that would establish a real economy standard to complement the financial standards developed by the International Sustainability Standards Board. This panel will explore how companies can navigate the rapidly evolving ecosystem of net zero standards to demonstrate market leadership.
2.4 MARKETS: Carbon Market and Policy Evolution in the Asia Pacific
Climate policies, carbon markets and the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance, will be key to achieving nationally determined contributions in the critical Asia Pacific region. Carbon taxes, regulations and markets are emerging across Asia and support for market development and financing is increasingly becoming an integral aspect of bilateral and multilateral partnerships such as the Australia-Singapore Green Economy Agreement and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. This workshop will build on insights and outcomes from the recent CMI Singapore Carbon Market and investor Forum.
Keynote
Hon Ted O’Brien MP
Plenary Four: Making Regulation and Disclosure Deliver Decarbonisation
The last 12 months have seen significant developments in governance, disclosure and on corporate claims with growing scrutiny from regulators, investors and the community. Meanwhile, the introduction of mandatory climate change reporting will also re-write expectations for company management of climate-related financial risks and opportunities. But how do we ensure that regulation and disclosure deliver more than just more reporting and drives real change?
Chair
Ilona Millar
Jillian Button
Emma Herd
Claire LaBouchardiere
David Parker AM
Sundowner Drinks
Jo Tyndall
Wednesday 30th October, 2024
Plenary Five: Climate Change Q&A
In the style of Australia’s weekly ABC discussion program, Australian political, business and community leaders will discuss the climate crisis, the role of carbon markets in the net zero challenge, and the long-term national policy framework we need to scale up decarbonisation investment to meet Australia’s fair share of global climate action.
Bran Black
Zoe Daniel MP
Amanda McKenzie
Ministerial Keynote
Hon Chris Bowen MP
Plenary Six: Scaling Nature Positive
The World Bank estimates that annual nature investment needs to scale up to USD700 billion over the next decade, up from current levels of roughly USD120-140 million per year. Following the inaugural Global Nature Positive Summit, this plenary session will consider the changes required to achieve this monumental shift in financial flows, alongside increasing finance for projects that address both nature and climate change simultaneously.
Kelly O’Shanassy
3.1 POLICY: Article 6 and other COP29 priorities
As well as focusing on the new collective quantifiable goal on climate finance and the Loss and Damage Fund, Article 6 cooperation and carbon market frameworks are a key priority of the COP29 Presidency. The Presidency notes past disappointments in bolstering mitigation and adaptation ambition through the implementation of Article 6, though some progress was made in the recent Bonn intersessional sessions, and countries have been pressing ahead with MOUs, capacity building and first transfers under Article 6.2. This workshop will discuss the opportunities and challenges for COP29.
3.2 TRANSITION: Corporate Transition Planning
Electricity is Australia’s largest emitting sector, and while momentum builds towards the 2030 82% renewable energy target, challenges remain around supply, firming, grid upgrades, social licence and ecological conservation. This panel will bring together industry experts to consider the opportunities in large scale renewable energy uptake, and how momentum and investment can be boosted pre and post 2030. As with the rest of the 6 sectors under consideration for Net Zero Plans, cross cutting issues like sustainable finance, carbon market strategies, circular economy and growing social equity, including for First Nation and regional communities, will also be discussed.
3.3 INVESTMENT: Data to Drive Decarbonisation and Integrity
Effective data collection, coordination and communication will be critical as efforts continue to build integrity in Australia’s carbon crediting framework and as mandatory and voluntary, such as the Australian Carbon Industry Code of Conduct, disclosure requirements evolve. This workshop will discuss key requirements and developments in establishing a national data platform that enables interoperability and enhances transparency between carbon, water and ecological data. It will also discuss data issues to assist investor and community confidence in corporate transition plans.
Dr Karen Hussey
Plenary Seven: Boardroom Masterclass
The introduction of mandatory climate change reporting will re-write expectations for Chief Financial Officers (CFO’s) and the overall organisational management of climate-related financial risks and opportunities. How do we ensure that disclosure delivers more than just more reporting and drives real change? With growing scrutiny from investors and the community, it’s often hard to navigate the twists and turns of boardroom strategy. Gather around our ‘mock boardroom’ table to see how our experienced board-level panel face and respond to a range of real climate scenarios, covering commercial risk, liability, litigation, carbon market engagement and activism.
Vicky Binns
4.1 NET ZERO SECTORS: Agriculture and Land
The Agriculture and Land sector has already contributed considerably to Australia’s emission reductions and has many opportunities to do more. Plans for the land and agriculture sector will need to boost climate smart agriculture while supporting efforts to reverse deforestation, repair nature and engage First Nation rights and aspirations. It is estimated that land-based sequestration will need to increase eightfold alongside industrial decarbonisation for Australia to help limit warming to 1.5C. This workshop will consider how policy frameworks can support these goals alongside restoration of healthy, biodiverse ecosystems. As with the rest of the 6 sectors under consideration for Net Zero Plans, cross cutting issues like sustainable finance, carbon market strategies, circular economy and transition issues will also be discussed.
John Lawson
4.2 MARKETS: Trade Mechanisms for Net Zero
With Phase 2 of the European Union’s carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) already being implemented, and as Australia considers its own CBAM to support the decarbonisation of domestic industry, we look at how trade mechanisms and agreements can support the net zero transition. Experts consider not only domestic applications, but also how countries across the Asia Pacific region are already accounting for projected economic constraints for heavy emitting industries.
Tennant Reed
4.3 POLICY: Integrating State-Based Policy Frameworks
State governments and agencies have played a historic role in carbon and energy investment, pioneering greenhouse gas, energy efficiency and other markets alongside expanding responsibilities in pollution licensing and other regulations. State aspirations have helped build national ambition but also come amongst competition for global and national investment in industries and expertise critical for the net zero transition. This workshop will examine how state initiatives can boost or hinder national policies and investments in industrial decarbonisation and carbon crediting supported climate action.
Tony Chappel
Afternoon Tea
Keynote
Closing Plenary: NetZero Next Steps and International Alignment
This session will take stock of discussions from the Summit and consider next steps required for net zero aligned 2035 national plans as well as the international cooperation that accelerate investment in decarbonisation and other climate and nature positive solutions. Join our experts as they draw together threads from across the full two-day program to discuss the climate realities and prosperity opportunities in acceleration policy and investment.
Closing drinks