A Common Approach to Sector-Level GHG Accounting for Australian Agriculture

Australia has a National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, however commodity Greenhouse Gas (GHG) accounts are being undertaken in a fragmented way and there is increasing development of disparate farm-level accounting tools. To date, mixed farming has not been considered. Agricultural commodities are at different stages of understanding their GHG emissions profile. For Australian agriculture to contribute to national climate commitments and sustainability goals, an agreed standard protocol for GHG emissions accounting and common understanding of terminology is required. This project aims to develop a common framework that could contribute to: Defining the methods for sector specific GHG baselines and monitoring progress toward a (collective) national target for agriculture; creating transparency and trust in GHG accounting to support climate-sensitive production practices and action by farmers; and informing international market access discussions on approaches and tools that reflect Australian conditions adequately.