You can help to mitigate the effects of climate change, and earn carbon tax credits, by taking part in projects to store carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on your land. This is part of the Australian Government’s Emission Reduction Fund (ERF).
There are different ways to apply for projects depending on whether you have a perpetual or term lease, an occupation licence or a freeholding lease under the Land Act 1994.
Note, the minister administering the Land Act 1994 is the crown lands minister; and crown land means land that is the property of the state (including land subject to a perpetual or term lease, an occupation licence or a freeholding lease).
This guide explains eligible activities under the ERF and how to complete and lodge applications. Before you make an application, we recommend you call us to discuss:
This will avoid processing delays.
Before you make an application, please call us to discuss your project. This will help to avoid processing delays.
The following projects are eligible under the Emissions Reduction Fund:
There are 2 categories for project applications:
Before you make an application, please call us to discuss your project. This will help to avoid processing delays.
If your land is under a perpetual or term lease or occupation licence, you do not hold exclusive legal rights to the carbon. You must get consent from us for your project to be eligible.
Your application should be written, and should clearly state the lodger, applicant and land details. You should include:
Contact the Department of Resources at SLAMlodgement@resources.qld.gov.au for a copy of a deed poll template. We recommend that you get independent legal advice before signing the deed poll.
Emission avoidance projects for savanna burning on leases need to provide additional supporting information:
Tidal restoration of blue carbon ecosystems method projects will need to:
The Department of Resources may need to provide owner’s consent for any application to remove or modify a tidal restriction mechanism on land under the Land Act 1994.
A blue carbon method project can only be for part of the lease, as the lease must still be used for its purpose (for example, a lease for grazing must still be able to be used for grazing).
You can lodge your application by:
We will assess your application against legislative requirements and our own policies, procedures and guidelines.
For example, we will:
We may also consult with the chief executive, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), about the possible impact of the project on proposals to deal with, or contracts involving, state-owned forest products e.g. native trees/native forest areas.
When we have investigated all issues, we will write to you with our decision.
Before you undertake your project, you should contact other local, state and federal government agencies to ensure you comply with their requirements. For example, if you are undertaking savanna burning, you may have other statutory obligations, such as obtaining a permit under the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 and any other permits and approvals.
Use the regrowth benefits tool and supporting user guide to obtain information about particular sites and their suitability for regrowing or maintaining native forest.
Before you make an application, please call us to discuss your project. This will help to avoid processing delays.
If you have a freeholding lease, you have exclusive legal rights to the carbon on your property. Before applying, you should consider whether you want to:
Please note, if your land is under a perpetual or term lease or occupation licence, you may also apply for the registration of a carbon abatement interest.
Your application should be written, and should clearly state the lodger, applicant and land details. You should include:
A draft agreement is available for the registration of a carbon abatement interest and contains the mandatory clauses that we require to protect the state’s interest, which includes indemnity and insurance. For a copy of the draft agreement contact SLAMlodgement@resources.qld.gov.au
You can lodge your application by:
We will assess your application against legislative requirements and our own policies, procedures and guidelines.
For example, we will:
We will consider whether the land will, or is likely to, be used or dealt with in a way that is inconsistent with the proposed carbon abatement interest.
We may also consult with the chief executive, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), about the possible impact of the project on proposals to deal with, or contracts involving, state-owned forest products e.g. native trees/native forest areas.
Read about DAF’s involvement in Emissions Reduction Fund Projects.
When we have investigated all issues, we will write to you with our decision.
Carbon rights on state land, 02 Jan 2024, [https://oss-uat.clients.squiz.net/environment/land/state/use/carbon-rights]
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