IN SHORT:

High emitting industrial facilities covered by the ‘safeguard mechanism’ (excluding the generation sector) are projected to drive national emissions growth through to 2030, with companies given flexibility to re-set their baselines, without being held accountable to a hard emissions cap.

As of 25 January 2018, 57 industrial facilities, across 48 companies, have been given permission to increase their emissions baselines under the safeguard mechanism, potentially allowing an additional 22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2/e) increases per annum. Reported baselines therefore act as a limit in name only, with companies largely free to ‘choose their own