{"id":462346,"date":"2026-08-12T09:33:03","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T16:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=462346"},"modified":"2026-08-12T09:33:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T16:33:10","slug":"surprise-the-aussie-carbon-tax-is-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=462346","title":{"rendered":"Surprise! The Aussie Carbon Tax is Back"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essay by<\/strong>  Eric Worrall<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The review may consider carbon adjustment tariffs on imports from nations like the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Labor considers capping carbon offsets for Australia\u2019s biggest polluters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ryan Cropp<\/a><\/strong> Energy and climate reporter<\/em>
Aug 7, 2026 \u2013 1.54pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Albanese government will consider capping the unlimited use of carbon offsets to encourage greater on-site emissions cuts by some of Australia\u2019s biggest industrial facilities and meet ambitious near-term climate targets.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The policy requires more than 200 big coal, gas, manufacturing and transport facilities to cut their emissions by around 5 per cent each year, or buy carbon credits to make up any shortfall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under existing rules, there are no limits on the number of carbon credits companies allowed to purchase to meet their mandated targets. In 2024-25, the top 10 purchasers of offsets in the scheme included six coal companies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis review is focused on ensuring the Safeguard Mechanism continues to drive real, durable emissions reductions across Australia\u2019s largest industrial facilities and contributes its fair share to achieving the nation\u2019s emissions targets,\u201d Bowen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Read more: https:\/\/www.afr.com\/policy\/energy-and-climate\/labor-considers-capping-carbon-offsets-for-australia-s-biggest-polluters-20260807-p60mc6<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Where do I get the border adjustment claim from? From the Aussie Government Carbon Leakage review, which concluded in 2025;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Review assessed the risk of carbon leakage and considered whether additional policies are needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Review found existing policy measures mitigate leakage risks in the short to medium term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Review recommended that a border carbon adjustment be introduced for a select group of commodities that are at particular risk of carbon leakage from imports, with it initially covering cement and clinker, and to be considered for other commodities subject to further assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Review\u2019s recommendations will be considered in the 2026-27 review of the <\/strong>Safeguard Mechanism<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Read more: https:\/\/www.dcceew.gov.au\/climate-change\/publications\/carbon-leakage-review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Carbon leakage refers to the flight of energy intensive industries when carbon taxes are imposed. A border carbon adjustment is an attempt to lure energy intensive industries into staying, by imposing a carbon tax on imports, so imports have no advantage over local products whose costs have been inflated by carbon taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Border carbon adjustments don\u2019t work, because most of the time it is still cheaper to produce goods in low cost jurisdictions and pay the border tax \u2013 as the EU discovered when China started outcompeting industry in Germany and other protected EU industrial regions, despite the EU\u2019s tariff border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any attempt to raise border carbon adjustment taxes to the point they influence people\u2019s behaviour would invite retaliation from trading partners, which in an export oriented economy like Australia would be an utter disaster. Ratcheting up Aussie carbon pricing will accelerate the decline of Aussie manufacturing, which will be even less able to compete with low cost energy intensive imports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strangely advocates of these tired economic ideas never ask why carbon taxes keep failing, why so much coercion is required to force people to embrace what greens claim is the cheapest form of energy, and why heavy industries consistently flee regions which introduce carbon taxes. But asking why despite a 100% track record of failure greens still believe carbon taxes are a good idea is like asking why some people still think communism is a good idea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The review may consider carbon adjustment tariffs on imports from nations like the United States.<\/p>\n

Where do I get the border adjustment claim from? From the Aussie Government Carbon Leakage review, which concluded in 2025;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":462348,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818216,691844649,691844650,691844648,691838093,691844647],"class_list":["post-462346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-australia","tag-biggest-industrial-facilities","tag-carbon-leakage","tag-carbon-offsets","tag-chris-bowen-climate-change-and-energy-minister","tag-the-albanese-government","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1Whc","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":421935,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=421935","url_meta":{"origin":462346,"position":0},"title":"The EU\u2019s Carbon Border Tax Took Effect on January 1","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/18\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On January 1, the European Union\u2019s carbon border tax came into force. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (carbon tariff) forces companies exporting aluminum, cement, steel, fertilizer, and other goods with a heavy carbon content into the EU to pay for their products\u2019 carbon emissions. According to the European Union, the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-dioxide-co%e2%82%82"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNWsnU9zveXHnYlz2CYeiQ1GTEQCIeRV4juI8-ELLfBsganmFGnCUgWszgRHu-DsAJ-OAtwb7PItImuqRVVDtRnriVZkpw_Kvfesb8qKjghIMSn_kyW6XDkRKulY8xv.jpeg?fit=1200%2C730&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNWsnU9zveXHnYlz2CYeiQ1GTEQCIeRV4juI8-ELLfBsganmFGnCUgWszgRHu-DsAJ-OAtwb7PItImuqRVVDtRnriVZkpw_Kvfesb8qKjghIMSn_kyW6XDkRKulY8xv.jpeg?fit=1200%2C730&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNWsnU9zveXHnYlz2CYeiQ1GTEQCIeRV4juI8-ELLfBsganmFGnCUgWszgRHu-DsAJ-OAtwb7PItImuqRVVDtRnriVZkpw_Kvfesb8qKjghIMSn_kyW6XDkRKulY8xv.jpeg?fit=1200%2C730&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNWsnU9zveXHnYlz2CYeiQ1GTEQCIeRV4juI8-ELLfBsganmFGnCUgWszgRHu-DsAJ-OAtwb7PItImuqRVVDtRnriVZkpw_Kvfesb8qKjghIMSn_kyW6XDkRKulY8xv.jpeg?fit=1200%2C730&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNWsnU9zveXHnYlz2CYeiQ1GTEQCIeRV4juI8-ELLfBsganmFGnCUgWszgRHu-DsAJ-OAtwb7PItImuqRVVDtRnriVZkpw_Kvfesb8qKjghIMSn_kyW6XDkRKulY8xv.jpeg?fit=1200%2C730&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":425024,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=425024","url_meta":{"origin":462346,"position":1},"title":"CO2 Border Tariff? Don\u2019t Even Think About It, DOE!","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/07\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Trump 2 has represented a new era of energy consumerism against the termite aspirations of the Progressive Left. A recent compilation by the Institute for Energy Research lists\u00a0263 executive actions in this regard.","rel":"","context":"In \"American Energy Alliance\"","block_context":{"text":"American Energy Alliance","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=american-energy-alliance"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0-No-CO%E2%82%82-tax.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0-No-CO%E2%82%82-tax.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0-No-CO%E2%82%82-tax.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0-No-CO%E2%82%82-tax.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":425266,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=425266","url_meta":{"origin":462346,"position":2},"title":"Republicans Let \u2018Carbon Tax Framework\u2019 Slip Through Funding Bill, Opponents Warn","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/08\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A directive buried in January \u201cminibus\u201d materials is the first step toward carbon taxes or tariffs, several energy policy experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.","rel":"","context":"In \"Carbon Tax\"","block_context":{"text":"Carbon Tax","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-tax"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/00-carbon-tax.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/00-carbon-tax.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/00-carbon-tax.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/00-carbon-tax.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":403831,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=403831","url_meta":{"origin":462346,"position":3},"title":"Europe\u2019s Days of Carbon Colonialism are Numbered","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"09\/21\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The European Union is intent on implementing the world\u2019s first tax on the carbon content of imported goods from January 1st 2026. The EU\u2019s celebrated climate policy experiment, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), will make its debut as the crowning jewel of its Green New Deal to make Europe\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"\u201cclimate club\u201d\"","block_context":{"text":"\u201cclimate club\u201d","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-club"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQMgIJHeLEkRjtEzA9152bA_oTap58U3s8I71sETP02X8KAnsDaGtQMb-nxLRyQlBeH2BK3QRHB-_qLeCmSCJpSfIhVJnbZyjK96b8bpV2QO5v3C7Gu-m_NUjfObNGcSDg_Y4hvVKoUOy2G61LCmGC1Ki_EEFQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQMgIJHeLEkRjtEzA9152bA_oTap58U3s8I71sETP02X8KAnsDaGtQMb-nxLRyQlBeH2BK3QRHB-_qLeCmSCJpSfIhVJnbZyjK96b8bpV2QO5v3C7Gu-m_NUjfObNGcSDg_Y4hvVKoUOy2G61LCmGC1Ki_EEFQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQMgIJHeLEkRjtEzA9152bA_oTap58U3s8I71sETP02X8KAnsDaGtQMb-nxLRyQlBeH2BK3QRHB-_qLeCmSCJpSfIhVJnbZyjK96b8bpV2QO5v3C7Gu-m_NUjfObNGcSDg_Y4hvVKoUOy2G61LCmGC1Ki_EEFQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQMgIJHeLEkRjtEzA9152bA_oTap58U3s8I71sETP02X8KAnsDaGtQMb-nxLRyQlBeH2BK3QRHB-_qLeCmSCJpSfIhVJnbZyjK96b8bpV2QO5v3C7Gu-m_NUjfObNGcSDg_Y4hvVKoUOy2G61LCmGC1Ki_EEFQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQMgIJHeLEkRjtEzA9152bA_oTap58U3s8I71sETP02X8KAnsDaGtQMb-nxLRyQlBeH2BK3QRHB-_qLeCmSCJpSfIhVJnbZyjK96b8bpV2QO5v3C7Gu-m_NUjfObNGcSDg_Y4hvVKoUOy2G61LCmGC1Ki_EEFQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":314204,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=314204","url_meta":{"origin":462346,"position":4},"title":"Study: Aussie Outback Carbon Offset Tree Planting \u201c\u2026 not reducing emissions as promised \u2026\u201d","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"03\/28\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Researchers find carbon offsets approach, which is supposed to regenerate scrubby outback forests, was not reducing emissions as promised","rel":"","context":"In \"Australia\"","block_context":{"text":"Australia","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=australia"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0AdobeStock_192559572.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0AdobeStock_192559572.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0AdobeStock_192559572.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0AdobeStock_192559572.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0AdobeStock_192559572.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":424966,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=424966","url_meta":{"origin":462346,"position":5},"title":"Zombie Carbon Taxes \u2013 The Climate Realism Show\u00a0#189","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/06\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Heartland Institute\u2019s Anthony Watts, Sterling Burnett, Linnea Lueken, and Jim Lakely will tackle this subject, plus other Crazy Climate News of the Week. Join us LIVE at 1 p.m. ET on YouTube, Rumble, X, and Facebook. Participate in the show by leaving your comments and questions in the chat.","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-dioxide-co%e2%82%82"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/00Screenshot-2026-02-06-183349.png?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/00Screenshot-2026-02-06-183349.png?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/00Screenshot-2026-02-06-183349.png?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/00Screenshot-2026-02-06-183349.png?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/00Screenshot-2026-02-06-183349.png?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0-ChatGPT-Surprise-The-Aussie-Carbon-Tax-is-Back.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=462346"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462346\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":462354,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462346\/revisions\/462354"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/462348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=462346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=462346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=462346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}