Emissions Reduction Fund. Savanna Fire Management Determinations: Sequestration and Emissions Avoidance; and Emissions Avoidance (only)

Transcription

1 Emissions Reduction Fund Savanna Fire Management Determinations: Sequestration and Emissions Avoidance; and Emissions Avoidance (only)

2 Policy context Outline Savanna Determinations and projects 2018 Determinations Sequestration Weeds and subdivisions Savanna technical guidance document Transferring projects Abatement pathways Reporting requirements and SavBAT 3

3 The Big Picture International UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties (COPs) IPCC Reporting guidelines Kyoto CP2 Climate Agreements Paris National Australia s Contribution 2020: 5% below : 26-28% below 2005 Domestic Policy Emissions Reduction Fund Safeguard Mechanism Renewable Energy Target Energy efficiency ERF Projects Approach to calculating emissions/sequestration under the ERF and National Inventory must be consistent for abatement to be eligible.

4 Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 Offsets Integrity Standards under the CFI Act 2011 Supported by clear and convincing evidence peer reviewed science Beyond business as usual - additional Measurable and verifiable Calculations must be consistent with the National Inventory All material emissions that could occur as a result of the activity must be deducted from abatement Evidence must demonstrate assumptions and estimates are conservative There are 35 methods (>700 projects) with 192 Mt CO 2 -e abatement contracted Savanna projects CER contracts ACCUs contracted ACCUs issued 78 (+ 8 revoked) million Over 4 million

5 ERF Savanna Determinations Savanna Fire Management Determinations x2 First method Revoked Minor revision 10 projects Revoked Low rainfall zone Uncertainty buffer Seasonality 68 projects Sequestration Weeds Subdivisions Savanna guidance doc. Cumulative credits issued

6 2018 Savanna Determinations Project activity Project objectives Project eligibility Annual planned burning Failure to do so must be for reasons beyond the proponent s control Fire activity: LDS EDS Avoiding the emission of CH 4 and N 2 O Sequestering CO 2 in dead organic matter No increase in emissions from other sources No increase in decomposition Must contain vegetation fuel types (HRZ/LRZ) Must not contain: Weeds Cleared land Area of land previously removed Late Dry Season burn Early Dry Season burn

7 What s new in 2018? Same project activity but with revised definition Undertake planned burning each year so as the pattern of past and planned burning meets the objectives of avoiding emissions and sequestering carbon. Removes fossil fuel use from abatement calculations Requirement for project management plans Accounts for high biomass weeds that impact abatement Provisions for updates; to remain consistent with inventory and new science E.g. Savanna technical guidance document Provisions for subdividing and transferring 5 year transfer window Sequestration in coarse and heavy fuels Permanence obligations Where fire permits are required, they must be obtained and abided by.

8 Sequestration Reducing the frequency and extent of LDS fires leads to more carbon in the landscape Dead wood (logs) on the ground of coarse and heavy fuel size Death of trees estimated from stand structures and growth rates Choice of permanence period 25 years 100 years 25% discount 5% discount These discounts are applied to sequestration credits only Sequestration method credits the change between baseline and project averages attributed to a year. Differing times of commencement for permanence and crediting periods. Sequestration projects must continue to report for permanence period. Regulator can require stored carbon be maintained during permanence period. Credits issued during crediting period.

9 Weeds, Subdividing & external material Weeds Gamba grass Ineligible, UNLESS: Subdividing and removing; or Permanently removing the weeds Time constraints Approach to monitoring Subdivisions Have effect for whole of reporting period Used to: Remove a project area and replace with subdivided areas Remove a project area and not replace Add an additional project area External material External material includes: STGD LDS start/end date spatial layers Weeds risk spatial layer (if published) National Inventory Report Policy statement Savanna technical guidance document Process for updates Project management plans Veg. mapping requirements Fuel types & all eq. inputs Weed monitoring Fire scar mapping requirements

10 Transferring projects Has the CFI Amendment Act 2018 commenced? Yes Choose pathway for transfer Continuing transferring Restarting transferring There are two transfer pathways Both enable full issuance of max sequestration credits No Restarting transferring (CFI Rule) Revoke current project, conditional on declaration of new one 5 year transfer window (for Seq.) >5 = 25 N More complex Continuing transferring (CFI Act) Transfer using s of the Act Existing crediting period continues Simpler process

11 Transferring requirements Consents requirements acknowledge impact of permanence obligation. Successive years are required. Project area parts, while under the 2018 determinations, can be transferred. Relinquishment (handing back) of sequestration credits may be required for a number of reasons, including transferring to emissions only or leaving the scheme. Baseline period will generally end the year before project commencement. Weeds in the project area when transferring.

12 Abatement pathways Inputs Fuel Accumulation Years-Since-Last-Burnt Emissions Avoidance Fine and shrub fuel loads Coarse Sequestration Fire frequency and return interval Inputs Fire scar area veg type area Burning Efficiency Emission Factors Carbon Content Nitrogen to Carbon Molecular Mass Global Warming Potential Patchiness Annual emissions Project year Baseline Abatement Buffer Heavy Equilibrium fuel loads Annual change Abatement Burning Efficiency Patchiness Accumulation Decomposition Carbon Content Fire scar area Adjusted abatement Adjusted abatement Carry-over Net Abatement = Adj. Emissions + Adj. Sequestration

13 Reporting requirements Some new reporting requirements include: Statement of removal of land due to weeds, or the permanent removal of weeds and supporting evidence. If required to implement an approach to monitoring, the results. Details of planned burning, including location, timing and extent. Whether this satisfied the project activity If planned burning was not undertaken, the reasons why Statements for whether a project area is varied, added and/or subdivided. CFI Rule Amendment requires detail on how sequestered carbon will remain for permanence period. SavBAT 3 Provides abatement pathways for both 2018 determinations and fulfils a number of reporting requirements.

14 Thank you.