Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) 2020

# Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) 2020 ## What it does This bill adds a new rule to Australia's main environmental law: large projects that produce lots of greenhouse gas emissions would need government approval before they can go ahead, just like projects need approval for other environmental impacts. The rule kicks in the day after the bill becomes law. ## Why it matters Currently, the government can't block a mining project or power station just because of its climate emissions—only for other environmental damage like wildlife habitat loss. This bill would close that gap by making climate impact a reason to stop or restrict big polluting projects. ## Key details - **Who it affects**: Anyone planning a large emissions-intensive project (the bill doesn't define "emissions-intensive" in this excerpt, but it clearly targets major polluters) - **The penalties**: If you run an emissions-intensive project without approval, you face fines of up to $500,000 for companies or $50,000 for individuals - **The loopholes**: You don't need approval if you already have environmental clearance under other parts of the law, or if the Minister has already decided the bill doesn't apply to your project **Status note**: This is still before parliament—it hasn't been debated or voted on yet, so it could change significantly.

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament