Forums examine role of standards

Standards Australia will host two major industry and government forums in October to examine the role of internationally consistent standards in Australia's new carbon emission trading scheme.

Colin Blair, acting CEO of Standards Australia, said Australia's carbon trading scheme will require a robust and harmonised system of standards and related technical infrastructure to enable it to operate efficiently, effectively and with integrity.

"Without the scheme being built on internationally consistent standards, it is destined to suffer the sorts of problems faced in Europe in the earlier years of carbon trading where emissions were difficult to measure and abatement projects difficult to quantify," said Blair.

"An emissions market can't operate effectively if buyers and sellers are not sure what is being sold or purchased. In the absence of high precision measurements of both emissions and abatements, stakeholder confidence in the market will be undermined.

"A scheme built on conformity infrastructure and based on ISO Standards is the only way to ensure the carbon market will have integrity, transparency and can be linked to other markets around the world," Blair said.

Up to 200 business leaders, key industry groups and government leaders are expected to attend the forums in Canberra and Sydney.

Through the forums, Standards Australia is seeking the involvement of industry and government to build the technical infrastructure to measure emissions and the abatement activities planned to offset emissions.

The forums will highlight the emissions trading standards already available and determine what, if any, new standards are needed to build an efficient and effective trading scheme.

The first forum will be held at the Museum of Sydney on Tuesday 30 October from 3.00 pm till 5.15 pm and will focus on opportunities and challenges for business.

The second forum will be held at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra on Wednesday 31 October from 2.00 pm till 4.15 pm and will focus on emerging emissions standards and their policy implications.

Attendance at the forums is free; for more information visit www.standards.org.au.