The content below has been sourced from: Department of the Environment and Energy
About this method
The Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative— Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Systems) Methodology Determination 2018 (method):
provides an opportunity for landholders and businesses to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units by managing their land in a way that could lead to an increase in soil organic carbon
sets out instructions for undertaking projects and estimating the resulting abatement.
who could Benefit?
The method allows farmers and landholders to earn carbon credits by sequestering soil carbon under pasture, crops, horticultural or mixed farming systems, and aims to allow flexibility for land management practices to be tailored to the specific region and farm, and to respond to changing market forces and climate during the crediting and permanence periods. The benefits associated with increasing soil carbon could include higher crop yields, better pasture, reduced erosion and improved soil health.
How does it work?
Soil carbon can be stored in agricultural systems by increasing the amount of organic matter in the soil. This occurs when management practices either increase the amount of biomass (such as plant material) that is incorporated into the soil and/or reduce the amount of organic matter that is released from soils (for example, by reducing soil disturbance).
Site specific factors such as soil type, climate and management history all influence the potential for soil carbon sequestration (the increase in soil carbon stocks over time). There is no guarantee that any one or more of the eligible activities chosen by landholders will build soil carbon at any particular project site. Project proponents should seek expert advice on the management actions that will best suit their project area.
Within broad parameters, landholders have a choice of which land management activities to implement to build soil carbon but must carry out one or more of the listed eligible management activities. The eligible management activities must be new or materially different from the land management activity conducted during the 10 year baseline period, and must reasonably be expected to sequester carbon in the soil. Some activities, such as permanent destocking and addition of coal or coal based products, are specifically excluded.
Landholders must measure the soil carbon stocks at the project site before the new management actions are implemented, and at regular intervals during the project to estimate carbon sequestration.
Emissions from other sources that have changed as a result of the project such as emissions from livestock, tillage events and applications of lime or synthetic fertiliser must be factored in to the abatement calculations.
Projects are subject to permanence obligations. This means the project must be maintained for a nominated period of either 100 or 25 years. Projects nominating a 25-year permanence period under this method are subject to a 20 per cent discount on the number of credits they receive.
See also, from the Department of the Environment and Energy: