Environment Protection Authority Victoria has released a practical guide to help farms and other businesses to minimise their greenhouse gas emissions.
The new Guideline for Minimising Greenhouse Gas Emissions is designed to give businesses a guide to choosing reasonable actions to suit their size and situation, so they can cut their emissions and meet their obligations under the Environment Protection Act 2017.
EPA Victoria chief executive officer Lee Miezis said improvements had been made to the guideline after a draft version was released for feedback earlier this year.
“Importantly, the guideline does not impose a rigid set of rules on farmers or other businesspeople,” Mr Miezis said.
“It focuses on taking reasonable actions based on your individual situation.
“Big industrial operators might calculate their greenhouse gas emissions in proportion to their scale and resources, while a family farm or other smaller business might use simpler measures of success, such as reductions in their power and gas bills.
“Showing you have introduced improved methods or new technology to reduce your use of electricity, gas or diesel would be an easy way to show a cut in your GHG emissions.
“It all fits in with the General Environmental Duty, a legal obligation under the act requiring anyone whose activities pose risks of harm to the environment or human health to understand those risks and take reasonably practicable steps to minimise them.
“Just like all businesses, we must act to ensure the harm from industrial emissions — including greenhouse gases — is minimised in a meaningful and sustainable way.”
The guide can be download from EPA’s website.