Is there a normal amount of Carbon Footprint?

In Australia, do corporations pay a carbon tax?

• I am looking for any type of tax that corporates pay in regards to environment sustainability. For example, do they have to pay tax on amount of carbon footprint they produce? or amount of waste that they generate?

• Answer:

  There is no carbon tax in Australia. In December 2009, Australia was close to have an emissions trading scheme (called the CPRS or Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme). There was bipartisan support for the scheme, but the then leader of the opposition Malcolm Turnbull was deposed by conservative climate skeptic Tony Abbott by one vote. The Liberal party changed policy and now opposes a price on carbon. In the subsequent federal election the Labor party formed a minority government with Green party and independent support. A climate change committee has been formed to investigate the best mechanism to put a price on carbon. Realistically, a scheme is probably at least three years away from being implemented. Corporations do pay to dispose of waste, but this isn't, by and large, due to any special impost related to sustainability and is just a commercial charge for the waste disposal service. Australia does have a renewable energy target - 20% renewable energy by 2020. Renewable energy production generates RECs or renewable energy certificates. The renewable energy target creates a market for these RECs to help fund investment in renewable energy. Corporations that consume a lot of electricity are required to acquire and surrender RECs each year that represent an increasing proportion of their  electricity consumption (up to 20% in 2020).