Fed Emissions Reduction Fund (2015)

Policy Engagement Overview

• The evidence collected on corporate and industry lobbying on Australia’s ERF from 2013-2020 indicates that the majority of lobbying has been supportive. For example, AGL Energy and Woodside lobbied to expand the ERF to more sectors, while Boral and Energy Networks Australia advocated to transition the ERF into a baseline and credit scheme.
• InfluenceMap did not find any evidence of opposition to the ERF, but there were 11 cases of entities lobbying for provisions to weaken the scheme, for example through the unrestricted use of international credits (Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia) and expanding the exemptions for EITE industries to the coal industry (Peabody).

Impacts on Policy Ambition

In February 2019, the ERF was rebranded as the Climate Solutions Fund as part of the government’s Climate Solutions Package. The Climate Solutions Fund totals $2 billion over fifteen years, which is a reduction in the annual budget compared to the ERF. The Climate Solutions Package also included support for new energy efficiency measures, funding to develop a national strategy for electric vehicles, and further investment and support for pumped hydro projects such as Snowy 2.0 and Marinus Link.