Victorian Climate Change Act 2010

The Climate Change Act was passed by the Victorian Parliament with broad support in September 2010 and came into effect on 1 July 2011. It is available at the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website.

The Climate Change Act creates a legal framework for key actions and initiatives in responding to climate change in Victoria. It:

• Repeals the Forestry Rights Act 1996 and creates new arrangements for the ownership, registration and transfer of forestry and carbon sequestration rights to facilitate development of the emerging carbon sequestration industry, bring Victoria’s legal framework in line with national approaches and allow Victorians to easily participate in State and national sequestration efforts. Find out more on carbon sequestration rights on private and Crown land.
• Requires the government to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan every four years, outlining the climate change impacts and risks to Victoria and the government’s priority areas for response
• Requires the government to report every two years on climate change science and emissions data
• Enables the government to enter into Climate Covenants with communities, regions, industry and other stakeholders, enabling them to take ownership of climate change issues and empowering them to be innovative and proactive in their response to climate change
• 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.
• Amends the Environment Protection Act 1970 to enable the Environment Protection Authority Victoria to regulate greenhouse gases
• Legislates Victoria’s new emissions reduction target of 20% by 2020 (based on 2000 levels)