It is very possible to maintain our current lifestyles with the clean energy and associated enabling technologies.

The purpose of building an emissions trading system is to make available to business the lowest cost options to abate greenhouse gas emissions and a critical prerequisite for the smooth operation of a robust emission trading scheme is a national emissions trading registry (Registry) which tracks emission permit creation, transfers and acquittals. Domestic or international offsets are also tracked by the Registry as will any mandatory permits or offsets acquitted for voluntary purposes.

The Australian government has recently released a tender calling for entities to submit proposals for the design and operation of such a Registry. Potential operators will need to demonstrate not only that they can provide the technology and the skills to manage the Registry within Australia, but also that they can create and maintain links with international registries to which the Australian ETS has been linked.

In addition, the Registry needs to support the daily trading of permits and offsets occurring via the various emissions trading platforms. There are at least three registries operating in Australia that facilitate the exchange of mandatory and voluntary environmental instruments.