Climate Exchange

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cosystems

in soils and ecosystems is becoming increasingly important in

efforts to mitigate climate change. About 23 per cent of Australia’s

greenhouse gas emissions come from the land sector, but there

are opportunities to offset a significant proportion of these emis-

sions through carbon sequestration activities and changing land

use practices. Fire abatement, feral animal management, improved

grazing management and avoidance of deforestation (emissions

avoidance), together with reforestation and revegetation (carbon

sequestration), are all land management activities that offer impor-

tant opportunities to offset carbon emissions in Australia. Much

of the carbon stored in northern and inland Australia occurs on

indigenous-owned land and many indigenous peoples are well

placed to provide climate services in the form of greenhouse gas

abatement and carbon sequestration services.

In August 2011 the Australian Government passed legislation

to establish a Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI). This is a voluntary

carbon-crediting mechanism to provide market-based incentives for

activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the land sector. In

addition to the greenhouse gas emissions reductions, the CFI also

seeks to promote the community and environmental benefits – or

‘co-benefits’ – associated with eligible carbon offset projects, including

indigenous co-benefits. To enable projects to generate CFI credits that

also deliver indigenous co-benefits, the proponent will

need to demonstrate that their project delivers benefits

to one or more indigenous communities. Indigenous

people’s participation in carbon markets has the poten-

tial to offset greenhouse gas emissions while providing

an avenue to pursue culturally appropriate activities that

meet their local livelihood and economic development

aspirations by broadening opportunities for aboriginal

people to work on the land while maintaining a physical

and spiritual connection to it, and grow their knowledge

and practices for future generations.

“People talk about country in the same way that they

would talk about a person: they speak to country, sing

to country, visit country, worry about country, feel sorry

for country, and long for country. People say that country

knows, hears, smells, takes notice, takes care, is sorry or

happy. Country is a living entity with a yesterday, today

and tomorrow, with a consciousness, and a will towards

life. Because of this richness, country is home, and peace;

nourishment for body, mind, and spirit; heart’s ease.”

Deborah Bird Rose, anthropologist.

Capturing the stories of Australia’s indigenous people

Image: Monash Sustainability Institute