The Australian national registry of emissions units (ANREU) is designed to meet one of Australia’s commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, and provides users with a platform to trade in emissions units.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, each country with an emission reduction target must establish a national registry to ensure accurate accounting of all emissions units issued, acquired, held, transferred, cancelled, and relinquished.

The ANREU also links with the international carbon market through the International Transaction Log, which is managed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat. This link ensures all Kyoto unit transactions are verified and valid between the registries.

Kyoto Protocol requirements for national registries

The Australian Government has previously authorised legal entities to transfer and acquire Kyoto units using ANREU in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol rules, including those set out in the following documents:

• modalities, rules and guidelines for emissions trading under Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol, and
• modalities for the accounting of assigned amounts under Article 7, paragraph 4, of the Kyoto Protocol.

The decisions of the Kyoto Protocol above require Australia to maintain a list of entities authorised by the Australian Government to participate in international emissions trading and make that list available through ANREU. Australia is also required to make certain information publicly available, and to provide a publicly accessible user interface through the internet that allows people to query and view the information.

Personal information of ANREU Account Representatives, including their identification numbers, names, addresses, and email and phone and fax numbers, is confidential and is not published, in accordance with Decision 13/CMP.1 Paragraph 44 of the Conference of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and Regulation 50 of the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units Regulations 2011.

Declaration of eligibility (clause 8.11)

Australia is in compliance with the emissions trading participation requirements under the Kyoto rules (as specified in Decision 3/CMP.1, annex, paragraphs 31 and 32, Decision 9/CMP.1, annex, paragraph 21 and Decision 11/CMP.1, annex, paragraph 2), as set out in the eligibility list maintained by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat.