Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

NSW Farmers’ Association is calling on the Government to exclude Agriculture from emissions liability under the CPRS and to investigate policy that would enable farmers to sell carbon credits created in soil, crops and pasture.

• Position Statement on the CPRS
• CPRS Presentation - Issues for the Farm Sector

Scientists find livestock emissions have been grossly exaggerated

A comprehensive peer-reviewed study by scientists at the University of California has concluded that livestock emissions are grossly overestimated.
The report, “Clearing the Air: Livestock’s Contribution to Climate Change”, identifies numerous errors in previous analyses of livestock emissions. Common errors include using elevated Global Warming Potential (GWP) conversion factors for methane, and including livestock CO2 respiration in the account but not including CO2 fixation by pastures.

• Click here to view the full report...

Missing billions for carbon in native vegetation

Clearing bans introduced in the 1990s have enabled the government to meet Kyoto emissions reduction targets. Article 3.7 of the Kyoto protocol is known as the “Australia Clause”.  This is because Australia insisted on its inclusion when the Kyoto protocol was developed.
The Australia clause allows nations to treat reduced land clearing as emission reduction.  The government fought for the Australia clause because it wanted to allow increased use of coal for energy and realised it could use clearing bans to offset these addition coal emissions.
Clearing bans have enabled Australia to meet its Kyoto target while at the same increasing emissions from coal fired power stations by 50% since 1990.  If the government had not locked up native vegetation on private land, Australia would be way over its Kyoto target and in breach of the treaty.
Carbon credits requisitioned  by the government via clearing controls have been valued by the Climate Institute at $1.8 Billion (at a carbon price of $25 tonne)*.
Needless to say, there is no prospect that either the government or the energy sector will pay farmers for these credits.
The Climate Institute report, written prior to Australia ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, makes interesting reading:

• Mission Billions: How the Australian Government Climate Policy is Penalising Farmers *
  Climate Institute: October 2006