Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2022

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to:

• require actions that would emit between 25,000 to 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent scope 1 emissions in any one year to be assessed for approval under Part 9 of the Act
• require the minister, when approving any such action or when considering whether to enter into a conservation agreement, to consider Australia’s national carbon budget and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets
• require the minister to reject the approval of actions that would emit over 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent scope 1 emissions
• require the Climate Change Authority to develop a national carbon budget to 2050 and to annually assess the budget
• prohibit the minister, subject to certain exceptions, from using alternative approval processes for certain emissions intensive actions
• introduce penalties for undertaking certain emissions intensive actions without approval if the action has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on the environment.

Summary from the official bill homepage.