Environment (Wales) Act 2016

36 Carbon units

(1) In this Part, a “carbon unit” means a unit of a kind specified in regulations made by the Welsh Ministers and representing—

(a) a reduction in an amount of greenhouse gas emissions,

(b) the removal of an amount of greenhouse gas from the atmosphere, or

(c) an amount of greenhouse gas emissions allowed under a scheme or arrangement imposing a limit on such emissions.

(2) The Welsh Ministers may by regulations make provision for a scheme—

(a) for registering or otherwise keeping track of carbon units, or

(b) for establishing and maintaining accounts in which carbon units may be held, and between which they may be transferred, by the Welsh Ministers.

(3) The regulations may, in particular, provide for an existing scheme to be adapted for these purposes (including by amending any enactment relating to the existing scheme).

(4) The regulations may make provision—

(a) appointing a person (an “administrator”) to administer the scheme;

(b) conferring or imposing functions on the administrator for that purpose (including by amending any enactment relating to the administrator);

(c) conferring power on the Welsh Ministers to give guidance or directions to the administrator;

(d) conferring power on the Welsh Ministers to delegate the performance of any of the functions conferred or imposed on the Welsh Ministers by the regulations;

(e) requiring the payment by persons using the scheme of charges (of an amount determined by or under the regulations) towards the cost of operating it.