*The Carbon Credits (CFI-Industrial Electricity and Fuel Efficiency) IEFE Determination was made in March 2015. This new IEFE draft variation amends the IEFE method and says this “would ensure that the treatment of projects that combust biomass to produce energy, or use biomass-derived energy is consistent with the recently amended Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme.” (i.e. Words over-ride RET biomass-source net carbon emission numbers)

Where are the net-carbon emission numbers needed to ensure the integrity of RET forest biomass sources? Markets are watching!

The Australian Government risks our International reputation by not measuring massive avoidable carbon emissions from ‘forest degradation’, as mountain-sides of State Forests continue to be clear-felled under Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs).

Where are the Government or independent, peer-reviewed numbers on State Forest logging emissions?

We understand approximately 50% of Native Forest Carbon is being lost in an ‘up-front pulse’ of logging, burning and wood-chipping. Jobs come mainly from plantations which avoid the ‘up-front’ carbon debt. Plantations and mutually beneficial trading partners can provide all of Australia’s timber needs.

Is legal logging in Australia’s State Forests under RFAs actually worse than illegal logging in Indonesia?

Loss-making State Forests could ‘log-off’, reduce pollution, earn more carbon-credits, and create more jobs at less cost to the Australian Government than current subsidies. We could assist with Regional RFA ‘Case-Studies’ being developed in four States. Jobs, Water & Wildlife are other big winners.

The imminent ERF round of ‘Safeguard Mechanisms’ is an opportunity to fix the ‘ERF Integrity’ problem and provide substantial market-based opportunities for Australia - and especially for a Liberal Government.

Hopefully there is still ample time for the Australian Government to protect the integrity of the ERF since this ‘method variation’ is not final until made by the Minister for the Environment. Rushing this through just to help ‘mates’ prepare dodgy NF-RET-related ERF Auction ‘bids’ in November risks dire long-term perverse outcomes.

Cheers

Mike Thompson, Nature.Net Pty Ltd, Natural Forest Carbon Advisor

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