LAND clearing is happening at an alarming rate in NSW.

Here in Port Stephens sand mines, industry and large scale housing developments are resulting in significant land clearing.

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The Nature Conservation Council are calling for the Federal Government to maintain carbon offset rules that exclude regrowth on illegally cleared land and the planting of weed species from the national carbon credit scheme.

The Government recently began a public consultation asking stakeholders whether the exclusion applied to illegal and ecologically degrading processes should remain in place.

“It’s astonishing that the Government even thinks this is a reasonable question to ask,” Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Chris Gambian said.

“It speaks volumes about this government’s values and its approach to climate change and conservation.

“Energy Minister Angus Taylor must maintain these exclusions — to do otherwise would reward companies and individuals who are illegally clearing land and degrading our natural world.

“There are already serious questions about the integrity of Australia’s carbon credit scheme.

“Lifting these exclusions would make it a joke.”

The proposed amendments to the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Rule 2015 come as the government announced another major change to the carbon market.

Minister Taylor has announced carbon traders will be allowed to re-sell credits already bought by the Commonwealth, a move that the Nature Conservation Council say will significantly distort the carbon market and set back Australia’s emission reduction efforts by 112 million tonnes.

“This reckless market intervention by Mr Taylor undermines the integrity of the carbon market in Australia and will slow the adoption of new emissions reduction measures,” Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Chris Gambian said.

“This does nothing to reduce emissions or increase carbon sequestration – it is an accounting trick that will enrich carbon traders.”

“Today’s creative accounting by the Morrison Government is equivalent to almost the entire annual emissions of NSW.

“If it was worried about carbon traders welching on contracts, the Government had many options to enforce those contracts,” Mr Gambian said.

“Instead, the government has delivered a $2.6 billion windfall to carbon traders, at the expense of the integrity of the market and our emissions reduction goals.”

Kathy Brown of EcoNetwork Port Stephens told News Of The Area, “EcoNetwork Port Stephens fully supports the comments of the Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive, Chris Gambian.

“EcoNetwork Port Stephens would also add that it is another instance of the federal government interfering in the marketplace as it tries to deal with our quickly changing energy markets.

“Energy providers are adapting to falling investment in fossil fuels while our Federal Government tries to strong arm them into keeping clunker power stations operating.

“This decision to open up the market on carbon credits will allow farmers and landholders to tap into an increasing market demand for Australian Carbon Credit Units.

“According to the Australian Financial Review (March 4, 2022), the Government’s revised rules on carbon credits will also provide funds for them to underwrite new schemes such as Santos’ controversial Moomba gas plant carbon capture and storage project in South Australia, which hinges on access to Australian carbon credit units.

“Angus Taylor and the Federal Government are supporting the opening up of new gas fields in a week when the latest IPCC report tells us we are headed for three degrees of warming and must stop using fossil fuels,” Kathy said.

By Marian SAMPSON