Australia's climate framework rests on two Commonwealth Acts: the Climate Change Act 2022, which codifies the country's emissions targets, requires annual ministerial climate statements to Parliament, and gives the independent Climate Change Authority statutory advisory functions on NDC-setting, and the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011, which establishes the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme for eligible offset projects, administered by the Clean Energy Regulator. Australia's 2035 NDC target, announced on 18 September 2025, sets a cut of 62 to 70% below 2005 emissions levels, with net carbon removals and ACCU reform named as one of five priority delivery areas. Its third Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS3) was filed on 25 November 2025. Australia has no dedicated forest or REDD+ instrument.
Projects
Talia Restoration
In-perpetuity woodland restoration and biolink on the Eyre Peninsula
Regulation
Framework law
"Australia's framework climate mitigation document sets out greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets by 2030 and by 2050. The Act provides for annual climate change statements, requiring the Minister to prepare such statements; and cause copies of those statements to be tabled in each House of Parliament. The document further confers advisory functions on the Climate Change Authority which is independent, on the creation of NDC targets and on the preparation of annual climate change statements. The operation of this Act should be periodically reviewed."climate-laws.org document summary field
Codifies Australia's emissions targets, mandates annual ministerial climate statements to Parliament, and gives the independent Climate Change Authority statutory advisory functions on NDC-setting.
Issuing body: Commonwealth of Australia — Minister for Climate Change, Climate Change Authority · Single source
NDC
"a range of 62% to 70% reduction on 2005 emissions"PM of Australia media release, dated Thursday 18 September 2025
Sets Australia's 2035 NDC target at 62–70% below 2005 emissions levels, with net carbon removals/ACCU reform named as one of five priority delivery areas.
Issuing body: Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia · Single source
Carbon market
"(2) The first object of this Act is to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and avoid emissions of greenhouse gases, in order to meet Australia's obligations under any or all of the following: (a) the Climate Change Convention; (b) the Kyoto Protocol; (c) the Paris Agreement; (d) any other international agreement... (4) The third object of this Act is to increase carbon abatement in a manner that: (a) is consistent with the protection of Australia's natural environment; and (b) improves resilience to the effects of climate change... (6) The fifth object of this Act is to facilitate the achievement of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets."Section 3 "Objects", official Compilation No. 18 (registered 21/09/2022), pp.2-3
Establishes the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme for eligible offsets projects, administered by the Clean Energy Regulator; ACCUs are tradeable personal property.
Issuing body: Clean Energy Regulator · Single source
Forest / REDD+
No forest / redd+ instrument located. Checked: not applicable to Australia's regulatory landscape in the REDD+ sense; ACCU Scheme methods for native-forest and reforestation offsets (Carbon Farming Initiative) are the closest analogue and are already captured under the carbon-market row above.
Net-zero / LTS
"Australia's Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategy. LT-LEDS3"climate-laws.org geography family listing
Issuing body: DCCEEW · Single source