The NGER Scheme is Australia’s single national framework for corporations to report their greenhouse gas emissions, energy production and energy consumption. It is set up by the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 and run by the Clean Energy Regulator.
Key points
- Set up by the NGER Act 2007 and run by the Clean Energy Regulator
- Applies when a corporate group or a facility meets an emissions or energy threshold
- Covers Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, energy production and energy consumption
- Registration by 31 August, reporting by 31 October, publication by 28 February
- Provides the emissions data the Safeguard Mechanism relies on
Who it applies to
A controlling corporation must register and report if its group, or any single facility under its operational control, meets a threshold in a financial year. The group thresholds are 50 kilotonnes CO2-e of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, or 200 terajoules of energy produced or consumed. The facility thresholds are 25 kilotonnes CO2-e, or 100 terajoules of energy produced or consumed. Activities of contractors and subcontractors at a facility count toward its totals, and each corporation is responsible for assessing its own obligations.
What is reported
Reporters estimate Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, energy production and energy consumption for each facility, using the methods in the NGER Measurement Determination for that reporting year. Scope 3 emissions are not reported under NGER.
The annual cycle
- The reporting year is the financial year, 1 July to 30 June.
- A corporation that first meets a threshold registers by 31 August after that year.
- Reports are lodged in the Emissions and Energy Reporting System (EERS) by 31 October, or the next business day if that falls on a weekend or ACT public holiday.
- The Regulator publishes corporate totals at or above the publication threshold by 28 February.
The legislation
The scheme rests on the NGER Act, the NGER Regulations 2008 and the NGER (Measurement) Determination 2008. The Determination is amended every year, so each report must use the version in force for its reporting year.
Why it matters beyond compliance
NGER data supports national policy and Australia’s international reporting obligations, and it is the data the Safeguard Mechanism uses to hold large facilities to their emissions baselines. Corporate totals above the publication threshold are public, so anyone can see them.
References & sources
Primary regulatory documents and authoritative references underpinning this answer.