THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
Cabinet Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
MEDIA RELEASE
CARBON FARMING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
The Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, today held further talks with Indigenous leaders from across Australia on Indigenous participation in the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI), at a roundtable in Melbourne.
The CFI is a carbon offsets scheme that will provide new economic opportunities for farmers, forest growers and landholders and help the environment by reducing carbon pollution. Farmers and land managers will be able to generate credits that can then be sold to other businesses wanting to offset their own carbon pollution.
Talks at the roundtable focussed on ensuring that Indigenous land provisions in the CFI legislation work effectively and that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders can benefit as a result of the Clean Energy Future package. The land sector measures include the $22m Indigenous Carbon Farming Fund to support Indigenous CFI projects.
The Gillard Government is opening up new economic opportunities for Indigenous Australians through the Carbon Farming Initiative, Mr Dreyfus said.
By collaborating with Indigenous leaders, the Government can identify better ways to incorporate the aims of Indigenous land managers in CFI projects.
This will make sure that Indigenous Australians have access to the domestic and international carbon economy.
Mr Dreyfus recently announced consultation on a draft methodology on how Indigenous land managers can use traditional fire management practices to reduce carbon pollution and earn carbon credits under the CFI.
Other opportunities under the CFI for reducing emissions will include feral animal management, establishing or managing vegetation to increase carbon storage, reducing livestock emissions on pastoral properties and increasing the amount of carbon that is stored in soils.
For more information visit: http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/clean-energy-future/land-use
THURSDAY, 4 AUGUST 2011
