The Australian Government is implementing a comprehensive plan to move to a clean energy future. This includes:
- introducing a carbon price
- promoting innovation and investment in renewable energy
- encouraging energy efficiency
- creating opportunities in the land sector to cut pollution.
The farming, forestry and land sectors have just as important a role to play in reducing carbon pollution as governments, households and the wider business community. The clean energy future plan provides new economic opportunities for farmers and helps improve the profitability and sustainability of Australia's agricultural industries.
The Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) which started in December 2011 is a carbon offsets scheme that provides economic opportunities for farmers, forest growers and landholders. Through the CFI Australian farmers and land managers have access to the carbon market and can generate revenue by reducing emissions or increasing carbon storage on their land.
Over $1.7 billion of carbon price revenues are being invested in the land sector , through new funding programs over six years from 2011-12. These measures are complimentary to the CFI. They support farmers and land managers participation in the CFI and assist in the development of new abatement opportunities on the land.
This package of land sector programs and initiatives include the: