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Savanna Fire Management
Carbon Farming Roadmap
2
3
Version number Date
1.0 December 2019
Cover page image: Mornington Station in the Kimberley, via Gibb River Road, Derby. Image credit: Nick
Rains
Acknowledgement of input
This roadmap is a collaboration between the Department and contributing stakeholders. The
Department would like to extend its thanks to those who have helped shape it.
This is a living document that can be updated as necessary. The Department welcomes any input and
suggestions for updates.
Please email [email protected] with questions and contributions.
Copyright © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia, 2019.
The Savanna Fire Management Carbon Farming Roadmap is licensed by the Commonwealth of Australia for use
under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence with the exception of the Coat of Arms of the
Commonwealth of Australia, the logo of the agency responsible for publishing the report, content supplied by
third parties, and any images depicting people.
This report should be attributed as ‘Savanna Fire Management Carbon Farming Roadmap, Commonwealth of
Australia 2019’.
Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and stakeholders who have
provided input into it, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Portfolio
Ministers for the Department of the Environment and Energy.
While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct,
the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall
not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance
on, the contents of this publication.
Acknowledgement of Country The Department acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and their continuing
connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and to their elders both
past and present.
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Table of contents
Overview ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Savanna fire management in the Emissions Reduction Fund ............................................................................... 7
Views from the savanna carbon farming industry ............................................................................................... 8
Process for updating the savanna fire management methods ............................................................................. 9
Opportunities for research and development, capacity building and industry engagement .............................. 10
Opportunities for improving savanna fire management methods ...................................................................... 11
Opportunities for improving savanna carbon farming participation and recognition ........................................ 12
Figures Figure 1 - An overview of savanna carbon farming achievements, industry ambitions and ongoing integrity ......... 6 Figure 2 - Map of registered Emissions Reduction Fund Savanna Fire Management Projects .................................. 7 Figure 3 - Overview of how the savanna methods credit emission reductions ......................................................... 7 Figure 4 - Savanna Fire Management Industry Views on Carbon Farming ................................................................ 8 Figure 5 - Process for updating ERF methods ............................................................................................................ 9 Figure 6 - Overview of the Emissions Reduction Fund’s Offsets Integrity Standards ................................................ 9 Figure 7 - The well attended 2019 Savanna Fire Forum in Darwin - sharing knowledge to improve understanding
and practice of savanna fire management .............................................................................................................. 10
Acronyms and abbreviations:
DoEE Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Energy
CDU Charles Darwin University
UWA University of Western Australia
DCBR Darwin Centre for Bushfire Research
CER Commonwealth Clean Energy Regulator
ICIN Indigenous Carbon Industry Network
NAFI Northern Australia and Rangelands Fire Information service
NESP Commonwealth National Environmental Science Program
NTG Northern Territory Government
Qld DES Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science
SavBAT Savanna Burning Abatement Tool
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Overview
Northern Australia’s savannas cover vast, unique landscapes. They are abundant with biodiversity,
history, culture and natural capital. Savanna landscapes have been actively managed over tens of
thousands of years by Indigenous people applying traditional knowledge and practices. Since European
settlement, suppression of traditional burning has meant much of the north has reverted to frequent,
high intensity wildfire. Left unmanaged, these high intensity fires present risks to people, increase
greenhouse gas emissions, and impact biodiversity and the environment. In good news though,
effective fire management, based on traditional knowledge and burning practices, has been
reintroduced across much of the north, mitigating risks and providing strong positive outcomes.
Building on thousands of years of traditional Indigenous fire management, controlled burns in the
cooler, early dry season are reducing the frequency and
intensity of hot, late dry season wildfires. This provides
multiple benefits - savanna fire management is
supporting people through jobs and income, country
and biodiversity through effective land management,
and mitigating climate change through reducing
greenhouse gas emissions.
The Australian Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund
has been an important driver in recognising and valuing
savanna fire management. The Fund provides economic
incentives for activities that reduce emissions,
commonly called ‘carbon farming’ projects. The Fund
issues Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) for each
tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent reduced (CO2-e).
These credits are then sold to Government and others
looking to offset emissions, which provides a source of
income for carbon farming projects. Coverage of
savanna fire management in the Fund is the result of
strong collaborative partnerships between governments,
private sector investment, scientists, Indigenous
Australians, land managers and project champions.
This roadmap is to help guide the ongoing success of
carbon farming in savanna fire management. It outlines
opportunities and challenges for the industry, based on views and interests of the savanna fire
management community. It is informed by current science pursuits and policy arrangements for the
Emissions Reduction Fund.
As a carbon farming industry currently valued at over $150 million, savanna fire management can
continue to grow through industry involvement, maintained integrity and ongoing engagement.
AN EARLY SEASON BURN AT MORNINGTON
STATION IN THE KIMBERLEY, WA.
IMAGE CREDIT: NICK RAINS
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70+Number of
ERF savanna fire
management projects
Over 7 million Tonnes of emissions already reduced by projects
Success so far
13.5 million
Tonnes of abatement
contracted by the Clean
Energy Regulator
$160 million The value of savanna fire
management projects contracted with the Clean
Energy Regulator.
$16 million
Average annual value of savanna fire management
carbon credits
$40 million
Potential annual
revenue
Industry ambition
3.2 millionTonnes per
year of potential
abatement
600-1100Potential new
part-time or casual jobs
Expanded industry capacity, integrity, broader
market access and continued
delivery of co-benefits
Ensuring savanna carbon credits remain
genuine and
additional
Ongoing integrity
Incorporating
best available science
Continued engagementbetween Government and the
savanna carbon farming community
Recognising interactions
between savanna carbon farming
and
biodiversity
FIGURE 1 - AN OVERVIEW OF SAVANNA CARBON FARMING ACHIEVEMENTS, INDUSTRY AMBITIONS AND ONGOING INTEGRITY
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Savanna fire management in the Emissions Reduction Fund
There are over 75 ERF savanna fire management projects across northern Australia, shown in Figure 2.
So far, savanna projects have reduced emissions by more than 6.9 million tonnes CO2-e since 2013.
Over the four years to 2018-19, this has been an average of 1.3 million tonnes CO2-e / year, which is
equivalent to removing 400,000 cars from the road for a year.
Eligible activities in the ERF are covered by methodology determinations, or ‘methods’ for short. They
are legislative instruments that set out the rules for estimating abatement from different activities.
Methods are used to determine how many carbon credits projects receive, and ensure emissions
abatement is genuine and additional.
There are two ERF savanna fire management methods. One covers emissions avoided from project
activities; the other covers emissions avoided as well as emissions sequestered (i.e. carbon stored).
These methods were developed by the Australian Government in collaboration with scientists and
technical experts, existing project proponents, project developers, Indigenous representatives, and
others over a number of years.
Almost all registered savanna fire management projects are being credited for emissions avoidance
only. These projects may be eligible to transition to the avoidance and sequestration method if they
would also like to receive sequestration credits.
Image source: National Environmental Science Program and CSIRO, with text boxes added by DoEE.
Emissions avoidance
credits less emissions
because of less fire (e.g.
less smoke).
Savanna carbon farming
recognises emissions
reduced by project activities,
compared to emissions from
before the project.
FIGURE 2 - MAP OF REGISTERED EMISSIONS REDUCTION FUND SAVANNA FIRE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS
Registered ERF savanna fire management projects
FIGURE 3 - OVERVIEW OF HOW THE SAVANNA METHODS CREDIT EMISSION REDUCTIONS
Sequestration credits carbon
stored by reducing severity of
fires (e.g. more carbon remains in
fallen branches)
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Views from the savanna carbon farming industry
The savanna carbon farming community is made up of project participants (including traditional
owners, rangers, pastoralists, and environmental organisations), project developers, state and
territory governments, scientists, land councils and other organisations. The majority of abatement
being generated by savanna fire management projects is through Indigenous land managers, including
Indigenous rangers and traditional owners. In a 2019 survey1, the savanna carbon farming industry
expressed their views on evolving, strengthening and sustaining savanna carbon farming. A snapshot
of these views from survey results is outlined below.
1 DoEE ran a savanna carbon farming roadmap survey in mid-2019. Full results are available on request.
FIGURE 4 - SAVANNA FIRE MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY VIEWS ON CARBON FARMING
Top interests in
sustaining and growing
the industry
The role of government
Viewed as the three
main benefits of
savanna carbon farming
Capacity and co-investment
Views on main priorities
for the savanna methods
Main engagement
interests
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Process for updating the savanna fire management methods
Like other ERF methods, the savanna methods can be revised as new approaches and information
becomes available that are supported by evidence and align with the ERF’s policy settings. An
overview of this process is shown in Figure 5 below.
FIGURE 5 - PROCESS FOR UPDATING ERF METHODS
The main requirement for any new or varied ERF method is meeting the offsets integrity standards.
They are legal requirements that underpin all ERF methods, to ensure abatement is genuine and that
only emissions reductions unlikely to otherwise occur are being credited. The independent Emissions
Reduction Assurance Committee must be satisfied each standard has been met for the Minister to
make or vary a method. The offsets integrity standards are outlined in Figure 6 below.
FIGURE 6 - OVERVIEW OF THE EMISSIONS REDUCTION FUND’S OFFSETS INTEGRITY STANDARDS
New or varied method
approach available and supported by
evidence
Consistent with ERF policy
settings and greenhouse gas
reporting requirements
Draft method or variation to
method developed in consultation
with stakeholders
Draft method or varied
method tested against offsets
integrity standards
Method update endorsed by independent
committee and approved by
MInister where needed
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Opportunities for research and development, capacity building and industry engagement Ongoing research and collaborative development will help savanna carbon farming approaches stay up
to date and continue delivering carbon abatement and other benefits. Success in method development
has always been underpinned by collaboration.
In the early days of the savanna carbon farming industry, Commonwealth funded grant programs
assisted with savanna research and development. There are public and private investment
opportunities to progress savanna carbon farming research and development.
Non-government organisations and industry peak bodies are funding some research, and research
continues within universities (e.g. Charles Darwin University) and other institutions (e.g. CSIRO),
including through the National Environmental Science Program.
This part of the roadmap outlines active and potential opportunities in savanna science research and
development opportunities, and savanna project capacity and engagement opportunities.
FIGURE 7 - THE WELL ATTENDED 2019 SAVANNA FIRE FORUM IN DARWIN - SHARING KNOWLEDGE TO IMPROVE
UNDERSTANDING AND PRACTICE OF SAVANNA FIRE MANAGEMENT
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Opportunities for improving savanna fire management methods
Opportunity Outcome Actions Parties
involved
Timing Status
Standing dead wood
Expanding the dead organic matter carbon
pool to include standing dead trees
Further abatement opportunities
Identify relationship between fire and standing dead tree carbon stocks.
Develop an approach to estimate carbon stock changes in standing dead wood biomass
Update the savanna technical guidance document to include expanded carbon pool
CSIRO,
DoEE
Short
term
Nearing
completion
Remote sensing
Use new remote sensing technologies for
improving the accuracy of carbon
accounting
Accuracy and simplicity
Demonstrate how emerging technologies such as LiDAR can detect changes in carbon due to fire, and inform vegetation mapping, including at landscape scale.
CSIRO, CDU Medium
term
Underway
Mapping weeds
Monitoring the presence of high biomass
weeds to prevent threats to abatement
Integrity Identify cost-effective, practical approaches to identify presence of high biomass weeds (that can reduce abatement) and consider policy approaches.
UWA, CDU,
DoEE
Medium
term
Underway
Measurement of fire severity
More accurate remote sensing approach
to account for fire severity and impact on
emissions
Accuracy Develop an approach to assign fires to severity classes.
Consider how severity classes can be reflected in abatement calculations.
Consider how severity varies between vegetation fuel types.
DCBR, fire
scientists
Medium
term
Underway
Living biomass
Expanding the carbon pool to include living
biomass
Further abatement opportunities
Identify relationship between fire and living biomass carbon stocks.
Develop an approach to estimate carbon stock changes in living biomass.
DCBR Medium
to Longer
term
Underway
Vegetation fuel types
Expand science to include new vegetation
fuel types
Further abatement opportunities
Provide clear and convincing evidence of new vegetation types and emission factors (e.g. peer reviewed literature).
Produce raster maps identifying new vegetation types and distribution consistent with NGGI requirements.
Scientists Medium
term
Some work
done for
Pindan
Vegetation mapping
Improving the accuracy and cost-
effectiveness of vegetation mapping
Accuracy and simplicity
Consider ways to streamline and improve accuracy of vegetation mapping (e.g. remote sensing, updated base layer for northern Australia).
Scientists Medium
term
Not yet
resourced
Late dry season start date
Account for regional differences in the
start of the late dry season
Accuracy Build on existing research and field data.
Consider practicalities of different late dry season start dates (e.g. project areas might have multiple late dry season start dates).
CSIRO, JCU Medium
term
Not yet
resourced
Seasonal fine fuel dynamics
Improving the robustness of seasonal fine
fuel accumulation & decomposition rates
Accuracy Undertake fuel data collection and analysis representative across northern Australia. Scientists Longer
term
Not yet
resourced
Note: Opportunities are views collated by the Department, and do not necessarily reflect the Department’s work program for savanna carbon farming.
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Opportunities for improving savanna carbon farming participation and recognition
Opportunity Outcome Actions Parties involved Timing Status
Resources for project participants
Creating resources to assist awareness of
project requirements and ERF scheme
settings.
Awareness Develop savanna method guides and FAQ’s.
Run events, including for method specific and fire management workshops and conferences like the Savanna Fire Forum.
Develop guidance on ERF project legal right and consent.
Develop templated Indigenous Land Use Agreement to assist consents process.
DoEE, CER, ICIN,
project participants,
land councils,
project developers.
Short
term
Underway
Building public awareness of savanna fire
management impacts
Promoting and engaging on savanna fire
management and carbon farming
Improved awareness and understanding
Produce content to improve public awareness (e.g. short film).
Promote Indigenous traditional knowledge as a key input to savanna fire management carbon farming.
Promote social, economic and environmental benefits associated with savanna carbon farming.
DoEE, project
participants,
representative
bodies, developers.
On--going Underway
Fire scar mapping tools (e.g. NAFI)
Ensuring the ongoing availability of fire
scar tools for project participants
Confidence and operational advantage
Prepare a NAFI business case and plan.
Explore funding models and sources.
Implement ongoing business arrangement for live fire scar/hotspot mapping
NAFI operator,
project participants,
investors.
Medium
term
Underway
The Indigenous Carbon Industry Network
Ongoing Indigenous carbon project
engagement
Improved communication
Build capacity of Indigenous project proponents through knowledge sharing.
Set best-practice standards and guidelines for savanna fire projects.
Facilitate and increase engagement with governments and corporates.
Explore opportunities for sustaining the ICIN.
ICIN coordinator,
ICIN members, and
steering committee.
On-going Underway
Biodiversity & fire - interactions
Understanding interactions fire
management and biodiversity.
Integrity Review of current savanna fire management and biodiversity research projects and the impacts of fire on biodiversity in savanna landscapes.
Run workshops with fire managers and ecologists, and communicate outcomes.
NESP, CSIRO, UWA,
NTG, DoEE, Qld DES,
project participants.
Short
term
Underway
Addressing legislative barriers
Removing unintended effects that impact
project participants.
Increased uptake
Advise Government to consider legislative amendments to the Carbon Farming Initiative Act; including to simplify project transfers between methods and correcting the effect of voluntary project revocation on avoidance ACCUs.
DoEE, Parliament. Short
term
Underway
SavBAT
Improvements for project reporting
Useability Identify streamlining and simplification opportunities.
Identify ways for the hypothetical abatement forecast feature to be improved.
Project participants,
SavBAT host, DoEE.
Short to
long term
Underway
FullCAM - Full Carbon Accounting Model
On-going developments & improvements
Integrity, useability, uptake
Continuous improvement and development. DoEE, CSIRO,
scientists
On-going Underway
Accessing private markets and expanding
participation
Expand industry and abatement delivery
Increased uptake
Explore ways to increase private market purchasing, including through recognising co-benefits.
Industry On-going Underway
Addressing policy barriers
Consider ways to increase uptake
Increased uptake
Explore how/whether potential barriers to uptake within the methods or the savanna technical guidance document could be addressed.
DoEE. Industry,
Project participants
On-going Underway
