Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008 (Tas)

Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008

An Act for certain measures to help the State address the challenges of climate change and contribute to the broader national and international response to those challenges and for related purposes [Royal Assent 22 October 2008]

Be it enacted by His Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly, in Parliament assembled, as follows:

PART 1 - Preliminary

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008 .

2. Commencement This Act commences on a day to be proclaimed.

3. Interpretation In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears – adaptation measures means measures taken to moderate harm, or to take advantage of opportunities, associated with the process of adjustment to the actual or expected climate and its effects; anthropogenic emissions means emissions of greenhouse gases, precursors of greenhouse gases and aerosols caused by human activities, including the following: (a) the burning of fossil fuels; (b) deforestation; (c) land-use and land-use changes; (d) livestock production; (e) fertilisation; (f) waste management; (g) industrial processes; anthropogenic removals means the withdrawal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere as a result of deliberate human activities, including – (a) enhancing biological sinks of carbon dioxide; and (b) using chemical engineering to achieve long-term removal and storage; climate change means a change of climate over a period of time which – (a) is attributable directly or indirectly to human activity; and (b) alters the composition of the global atmosphere; and (c) is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable periods of time; emissions offset programs means programs designed to recognise or achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, or the removal of such emissions, taking into account any criteria prescribed by the regulations; greenhouse gas emissions means emissions of – (a) carbon dioxide; or (b) methane; or (c) nitrous oxide; or (d) hydrofluorocarbons; or (e) perfluorocarbons; or (f) sulfur hexafluoride; or (g) gases prescribed by the regulations; or (h) gases prescribed by regulations under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 of the Commonwealth to be a greenhouse gas for the purposes of section 7A(1)(g) of that Act; Greenhouse Gas Inventory means the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts: State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories published by the Commonwealth Government; measurement includes calculation; person includes any kind of body, including a body politic; prescribe includes provide for; recognition includes any form of accreditation, authorisation, endorsement, licensing or registration; regulations means regulations made and in force under this Act; regulatory recommendation means a Ministerial recommendation under section 6 ; Tasmania's emissions reduction target means the emissions reduction target set under section 5 .