Comply with Safeguard Mechanism baseline (covered facilities)
Facilities >100,000 tCO2-e/year must keep emissions below an annually declining baseline.
Who must comply
Operators of facilities emitting >100,000 tCO2-e covered Scope 1 emissions per year.
What triggers it
Operating a covered facility.
When due
Annual surrender of ACCUs / SMCs by 31 March.
Evidence required
NGER report, baseline determination, ACCU surrender confirmation, monitoring period elections.
Max penalty
Civil penalties for non-surrender plus loss of multi-year flexibility
Summary
The Safeguard Mechanism applies to facilities emitting >100,000 tCO2-e per year. Each facility has a baseline that declines 4.9% per year to 2030. Excess emissions must be offset by surrendering ACCUs or SMCs. Production-adjusted baselines apply to trade-exposed facilities. Multi-year monitoring periods are available.
Enforced by
Source legislation
Topics
Source: https://cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/Infohub/Safeguard-Mechanism. Rules Mate is not a law firm. Always verify against the live regulator source before acting.