The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
The Times Real Estate

.

3 reasons why removing grazing animals from Australia's arid lands for carbon credits is a bad idea

  • Written by David John Eldridge, Professor of Dryland Ecology, UNSW Sydney
3 reasons why removing grazing animals from Australia's arid lands for carbon credits is a bad idea

If you run a large polluting facility and can’t work out how to actually cut emissions, you might buy carbon credits to offset your emissions from the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme. These credits are meant to represent carbon taken back out of the atmosphere and stored in growing trees or in the soil.

The problem is, these credit schemes can be rubbery in the extreme. One area we must scrutinise forensically are human-induced regeneration[1] projects. These are the backbone of the offset scheme, accounting for 30% of credits issued to-date. Over the coming years, they could be responsible for almost 50% of annual issuances[2]. These projects claim to regenerate native forests across vast areas – not by replanting trees in cleared areas, as you might think, but by reducing grazing pressure from livestock and feral animals.

This is fundamentally flawed. Almost all projects are in arid or semi-arid rangeland grazed by livestock and kangaroos and only partly cleared. But cattle and sheep mostly eat grasses and herbs, not woody material. So how can we possibly claim reducing grazing pressure leads to more trees and shrubs?

sheep on Australian rangeland
Sheep and other grazers largely eat grass and herbs, not woody material. Shutterstock

3 reasons for scrutiny

Human induced regeneration projects have ballooned. They now cover about 34 million hectares of Australia’s rangelands, about 1.5 times the size of Victoria.

Projects have sprung up in absurd areas such as Alice Springs, Coober Pedy, and the Nullarbor Plain where few trees grow naturally, and where those that do grow are rarely eaten by livestock. These projects are currently producing over 6 million carbon credit units each year for tree growth that either can’t happen, or where growth would have happened anyway. That’s about A$235 million[3] in today’s prices.

Under the rules, the projects are supposed to regenerate these forests and then maintain them for either 25 or 100 years.

Here’s why they should not be earning carbon credits.

1. Location

These projects are largely in the uncleared rangelands covering most of Australia’s interior[4]. These areas have little chance of promoting woody growth and storing more carbon, not because of grazing pressure, but because rainfall is too low, the soil too infertile[5], and the vegetation already close to its maximum. Forests will not regrow in these areas, particularly under hotter and drier climates.

arid shrubs Australia Forests are highly unlikely to grow on semi-arid terrain like this, even if grazing animals are removed. TBC, CC BY-ND[6]

2. Tree growth can have many causes

Grazing is just one driver of woody plant change. Where we do see tree growth, it’s most likely to be due to other factors such as sustained rain, greater concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide[7], falls in the intensity and frequency of bushfire, or removal of top predators like the dingo.

For these reasons, projects may well be credited for tree growth stemming from natural fluctuations – not grazing control.

3. Grazing on rangeland doesn’t destroy trees and shrubs

Removing grazing to regenerate forests in these uncleared areas would actually be a great idea – if we still had diprotodons[8], the largest marsupials ever to live. These 4 metre, 3.5 tonne browsers ate their way through trees and shrubs, much as elephants still do elsewhere, and played a key role in maintaining the balance between forests and grasslands.

If you took diprotodons off the land, you really would notice the difference – trees and shrubs would spring up without their intense grazing pressure. But the problem is, they’re extinct and have been for 25,000 years.

diprotodon skeleton If Australia still had megaherbivores like the diprotodon, this approach might make more sense. Danny Ye/Shutterstock

Their replacements on our rangelands – mostly sheep, cattle, feral goats and kangaroos – have nothing like the same effect.

In fact, where overgrazing does occur in Australia, it’s likely to actually increase tree and shrub cover rather than reduce it. Known as woody thickening[9], this happens when grazing animals eat so many grasses and herbs that they skew the balance in favour of trees and taller shrubs. Livestock might eat some woody plants, but most plants are out of their reach.

How did this happen?

By law, projects under the human-induced regeneration scheme are supposed to be restricted to land that is already cleared, with few mature trees and shrubs, and where native forest can regenerate naturally.

Under these conditions, the simple forest carbon model[10] used by the Clean Energy Regulator to estimate how carbon is being stored works reasonably well.

The problem is, projects are no longer restricted to cleared land. Just 17 months after the Carbon Credits Scheme began, the regulator permitted projects to proceed in uncleared rangelands[11]. Worse, these projects are credited using the same simple forest carbon model designed for cleared areas[12], which can’t account for the large numbers of pre-existing trees and shrubs in uncleared vegetation.

Read more: Chubb review of Australia's carbon credit scheme falls short – and problems will continue to fester[13]

In short, there is little evidence the carbon storage credited to these projects matches the real carbon on the ground.

For Australia’s Carbon Credits Scheme to work effectively we need better administration, more transparency, and compliance testing. If we do not use the best available science, we will get the wrong outcomes. Emissions will be higher than they would otherwise be.

Using nature to store carbon can work. In fact it’s the only cost-effective way to pull carbon dioxide from the air at present. But the credit system is easily gamed – not only here, but in many other countries[14].

We must make absolutely certain credits represent real, additional and permanent abatement. That is, based on real increases in carbon stored in vegetation, that would not have occurred without carbon credits as incentive, and in ways which will hold the extra carbon for a century or more.

If we don’t, Australian businesses and organisations relying on carbon credits to meet their climate goals will lose faith in the program.

Read more: 'Worthless' forest carbon offsets risk exacerbating climate change[15]

References

  1. ^ human-induced regeneration (www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au)
  2. ^ 50% of annual issuances (law.anu.edu.au)
  3. ^ about A$235 million (www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au)
  4. ^ most of Australia’s interior (www.dcceew.gov.au)
  5. ^ infertile (www.sciencedirect.com)
  6. ^ CC BY-ND (creativecommons.org)
  7. ^ atmospheric carbon dioxide (doi.org)
  8. ^ diprotodons (theconversation.com)
  9. ^ woody thickening (doi.org)
  10. ^ forest carbon model (www.dcceew.gov.au)
  11. ^ uncleared rangelands (law.anu.edu.au)
  12. ^ designed for cleared areas (law.anu.edu.au)
  13. ^ Chubb review of Australia's carbon credit scheme falls short – and problems will continue to fester (theconversation.com)
  14. ^ many other countries (www.theguardian.com)
  15. ^ 'Worthless' forest carbon offsets risk exacerbating climate change (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/3-reasons-why-removing-grazing-animals-from-australias-arid-lands-for-carbon-credits-is-a-bad-idea-218129

The Times Features

Best Deals on Home Furniture Online

Key Highlights Discover the best deals on high-quality outdoor furniture online. Transform your outdoor space into a stylish and comfortable oasis. Explore a wide range of d...

Discover the Best Women's Jumpers for Every Season

Key Highlights Explore lightweight jumpers for spring and summer, ensuring breathability and ease. Wrap up warm with cozy wool jumpers for the chilly autumn and winter season...

Uncover the Elegance of Gorgeous Diamond Tennis Necklaces

Key Highlights Diamond tennis necklaces are a timeless piece of jewelry that exudes elegance and sophistication. They feature a continuous line of brilliant-cut diamonds, cre...

Dental Implants vs. Dentures: Which Is Better for You?

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, two of the most common options are dental implants and dentures. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, so choosing between them ...

What Neck Pain Really Means (And Why It’s More Than Just Poor Posture)

Neck pain is often brushed off as something temporary — a tight spot after a long day at the desk or a poor night’s sleep. But when the discomfort keeps returning, it could be a ...

The Work of Gosha Rubchinskiy: Fashion, Culture, and Youth

From Designer to Cultural Architect Gosha Rubchinskiy is not just a fashion designer—he's a cultural force. Born in Moscow in 1984, Rubchinskiy began his career in fashion in t...

Times Magazine

The Essential Guide to Transforming Office Spaces for Maximum Efficiency

Why Office Fitouts MatterA well-designed office can make all the difference in productivity, employee satisfaction, and client impressions. Businesses of all sizes are investing in updated office spaces to create environments that foster collaborat...

The A/B Testing Revolution: How AI Optimized Landing Pages Without Human Input

A/B testing was always integral to the web-based marketing world. Was there a button that converted better? Marketing could pit one against the other and see which option worked better. This was always through human observation, and over time, as d...

Using Countdown Timers in Email: Do They Really Increase Conversions?

In a world that's always on, where marketers are attempting to entice a subscriber and get them to convert on the same screen with one email, the power of urgency is sometimes the essential element needed. One of the most popular ways to create urg...

Types of Software Consultants

In today's technology-driven world, businesses often seek the expertise of software consultants to navigate complex software needs. There are several types of software consultants, including solution architects, project managers, and user experienc...

CWU Assistive Tech Hub is Changing Lives: Win a Free Rollator Walker This Easter!

🌟 Mobility. Independence. Community. All in One. This Easter, the CWU Assistive Tech Hub is pleased to support the Banyule community by giving away a rollator walker. The giveaway will take place during the Macleod Village Easter Egg Hunt & Ma...

"Eternal Nurture" by Cara Barilla: A Timeless Collection of Wisdom and Healing

Renowned Sydney-born author and educator Cara Barilla has released her latest book, Eternal Nurture, a profound collection of inspirational quotes designed to support mindfulness, emotional healing, and personal growth. With a deep commitment to ...

LayBy Shopping