N4C applauds world’s first soil carbon project to earn credits under UN Paris Agreement

News 14.03.19

Posted by NATURE4CLIMATE
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In a world first, carbon credits are to be counted for the first time under the United Nations Climate Paris Agreement. These have just been issued for a soil carbon project under the Australian Emissions Reduction Fund. The credits were received by the Grounds Keeping Carbon Project, which showcases the work of an innovation and farming system in Victoria that creates soil carbon in pastures at rates that are comparable with forests. The Soilkee Pasture Renovator combines cultivation, mulching, aeration and mixed species seeding to improve grazing systems and build soil carbon effectively. The higher the soil carbon levels the more productive and healthy the farm.

Australia is in a world-leading position on soil carbon due to the bipartisan support of successive Australian governments and the work of the Clean Energy Regulator and the Department of the Environment and Energy. ‘This first issuance of credits is as much a recognition of the cumulative effort from early soil carbon farming pioneers and practitioners, as it is a vote of confidence in the ability of soil carbon to deliver millions of tonnes of abatement in the future’, said Corporate Carbon Managing Director, Matthew Warnken.

Corporate Carbon also announced the formal launch of AgriProve, a one-stop solution shop for soil carbon projects. ‘AgriProve now becomes the special purpose vehicle for developing soil carbon projects,’ said AgriProve Executive Director Gary Wyatt. AgriProve has an ambitious agenda as the Soilkee commercial model is poised to be mainstreamed. ‘Our immediate goal is to involve 100 farms, on 100 hectares, increasing soil carbon by one per cent over 100 months. The longer-term plan is to grow soil carbon farming exponentially’, Mr Wyatt said.

Farmers, landholders, project owners and developers that are interested in implementing soil carbon projects should contact AgriProve.

Media contact
Alexandra de Blas
M:0414 509 404
E: alexandra@deblas.com.au
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