When to Take Up Carbonomics Challenge?

The impact of carbonomics policy to business remains unclear. As for companies operating in Australia jurisdiction, corporations with facilities emitting at least 25 kilotonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (25ktCO2-e) have been required to annually report their greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions since 2008. From only just reporting their carbon footprint annually, it is possible that they are gonna start to paying for their emissions. I personally believe that polluting the environment will likely be no longer free. There will be a price tag on carbon emissions whether in form of a carbon tax or a pollution permit traded via an emissions trading scheme (ETS). The carbon pricing mechanism through taxation and/or ETS is another interesting debate.

Given uncertain carbonomics environment, so when do entities need to engage in carbonomics challenge? To kick start a brainstorming, below is a copy of Deloitte debates on when to tackle carbon_now or wait and see:

Point	Counterpoint
We’ll worry about it when we have to. And right now, we don’t have to.	Strategic decisions about product development, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers can take years to implement. Without a carbon strategy, a choice that looks smart today could tie your hands over the long term.
Carbon lifecycle regulations aren’t going to happen anytime soon. They look too much like taxes, which could send the economy into a tailspin. There’s no way governments are going to take that risk.	It depends on what you mean by ‘soon’. Forward-thinking global companies are already positioning themselves for reduced carbon footprints, even as they attempt to shape public policy to their advantage. It makes sense to get ahead on carbon emissions. That starts with benchmarking.
It costs real money to document our carbon baseline. Reporting performance isn’t cheap either. It’s not worth the trouble.	You’re already investing to improve energy efficiency. The incremental cost of creating a carbon strategy is trivial in comparison to its value potential. Why not do things right?
If we want to have a say about future regulation policy, we need a seat at the table. That means taking carbon seriously.	That might be true for some companies, but most have zero chance of influencing policy. So why bother?
Manufacturing and supply chain decisions used to be simple. Cost (incentives, labor, taxation) and demand were all that mattered. But lifecycle carbon emission standards are coming. Any plan for the future has to factor that in.	Getting ready for something that may never happen doesn’t seem like a smart investment of time.
It’s the right thing to do. For our own financial benefit as well as for the environment and the health of local communities. There’s more than one bottom line.	Doing the right thing doesn’t matter if my company doesn’t survive.

source: Jaeger, 2009, 'A Blueprint for a Carbon Emissions Policy', www.complianceweek.com

It is true that the carbon price will not directly affect all business industries, but it will somehow will indirectly affect each business to some extent. Start your carbon thinking now or just sit, relax and watch the early movers reap their benefits? That's your options...