Include forest products and increase the value of credits

Fabiano Ximenes presented a paper at the recent ABARE Outlook conference in Canberra highlighting Australia’s ability to develop practical mechanisms for the inclusion of forest products in the national emission trading scheme.

DPI’s Forest Resources Research Unit have found that if forest products were included in carbon trading, the value of credits would be increased, as the known amount of carbon available for sale would be significantly increased.

In addition to providing extra revenue for Forests NSW this would also provide greater incentive for farmers to develop agro-forestry systems and for farmers and Catchment Management Authorities to establish native vegetation on rural landscapes.

Following the ABARE conference Fabiano Ximenes and Annette Cowie have emphasised the need to further develop full life-cycle analysis skills.

Life cycle analysis (LCA) involves trying to evaluate all possible environmental impacts of a product or system by identifying all stages of a product’s life from raw materials used in manufacture, energy used and pollution produced during use and end-of-life disposal.

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