Victorian Climate Change Act 2010

The Climate Change Act came into effect on 1 July 2011. It is available at the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website.

The Climate Change Act provides a framework for the Victorian Government in responding to climate change in the context of national policy. It:

• Repeals the Forestry Rights Act 1996 and creates new arrangements for the ownership, registration and transfer of forestry and carbon sequestration rights to help Victorian landholders take part in carbon sequestration projects under the Commonwealth Government's Carbon Farming Initiative. Find out more on carbon sequestration rights on private and Crown land.

• Requires the Victorian Government to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan every four years, which will provide a high level assessment of the potential Impacts of climate change, and a statement of the Victorian Government's strategic responses.

• Requires decision makers to take climate change into account when making specified decisions under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, Coastal Management Act 1995, Environment Protection Act 1970, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and Water Act 1989.