An amendment to the Safeguard Rule was legislated on 27 April 2024.
The amendment ensures a comprehensive set of production variables. The online application form is scheduled to be updated tonight to ensure all new and amended production variables are available for facilities to select when completing their emissions intensity determination (EID) applications.
The amendment also changes the treatment of existing safeguard facilities that do not receive an EID for their existing production variables.
Where existing safeguard facilities do not receive an EID, their existing production variables will be subject to best‑practice emissions intensity values. However, if the Safeguard Rule does not include a best practice emissions intensity value, the emissions intensity will be set to zero.
This means that the baseline emission number of existing safeguard facilities with existing production variables will be much lower than if the facility had an EID in place, and it will result in the facility needing to buy and surrender more carbon units to meet their obligations.
If this amendment affects you and you have not applied for an EID or received an extension to the 30 April 2024 deadline, please contact the Safeguard team by emailing cer-safeguardbaselines@cer.gov.au.
For more information on these changes, see our Safeguard baselines webpage or contact us.