A new farm biodiversity scheme has been announced by the Federal Government to improve biodiversity and protect remnant vegetation, and while some are celebrating, others are praying that the model will be different to existing schemes. 

The biodiversity certificate scheme recognises landholders who restore or manage local habitat and grants them biodiversity certificates which can then be sold to other parties, such as companies looking to offset their emissions. 

The scheme will operate in a similar way to current carbon crediting legislation: the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), which it will work in parallel to, but there are voices demanding a different approach.



With the opportunity for farmers to receive payments from both schemes. Farmers for Climate Action CEO Fiona Davis said it will greatly improve the financial feasibility of activities like planting trees and reducing land clearing. 

“Paying farmers for the biodiversity in their remnant forest has the potential to greatly reduce Australia’s emissions by reducing land clearing. If a farmer is making money from the remnant forest on their land they will be less likely to clear it,” Dr Davis said. 

Likewise, National Farmers Federation President Fiona Simson said the scheme is an important step to recognising and rewarding the stewardship role farmers undertake. 

“Linking farmers with investors who will partner with them to invest in environmental protection is a significant step forward in how we protect and care for our country. 

Scepticism following whistleblower

Former Chair of the Integrity Committee of the ERF Professor Andrew Macintosh, however, labelled the existing ERF ‘environmental and taxpayer fraud’ earlier this year.

“The available data suggests 70 to 80 per cent of the Australian carbon credits (ACCUs) issued to these projects are devoid of integrity - they do not represent real and additional abatement,” Professor Macintosh said. 

“People are getting ACCUs for not clearing forests that were never going to be cleared; they are getting credits for growing trees that are already there; they are getting credits for growing forests in places that will never sustain permanent forests; and they are getting credits for operating electricity generators at large landfills that would have operated anyway,” Professor Macintosh said. 

Following the election, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen announced an independent panel will review the integrity of ACCUs. 

With an ambitious goal to cut emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050, a strong and trustworthy carbon crediting system is vital to the Government.

Calls for submissions to the review opened on 29 August, with a report with recommendations to be presented by 31 December.