Carbon credit markets have emerged as vital mechanisms for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and in a climate economy transition, these carbon credits traditionally form part of an emissions ledger associated with business activities.

The fate of ACCU’s generated through the Scheme largely contributes to an emerging and transitioning carbon economy. As a result of the early stage of the Safeguard Mechanism, market immaturity, policy uncertainty or economic pressures (to use some examples), ACCUs generated are:

• Delayed in their retirement (and contribution to climate action by keeping them floating in the market)
• Sold for flat currency, traded, held for insetting or offset against ongoing emissions in a transitioning carbon economy.

As ForGood launches, there are no traceable national examples of ACCUs (with or without co-benefits) being retired for the altruistic motivations of accelerating climate action (a ‘reset’ action),  outside of traditional pathways.

The philanthropic potential and holistic value of atmospheric carbon removals with associated co-benefits is of value to Australia and has commercial value by addressing the gap between high impact investment and verifiable direct action in this space, this is consistent with SoilCQuest’s purpose.

This project will focus on:

• Utilisation of current and established ACCU Scheme
• Refinement of a co-benefit framework beyond a stand alone carbon Scheme, that is suitable to the agricultural and nature based sector across Australia
• Development and deployment of farmer adoptable activities enhancing engagement in the generation and retirement of ACCUs married to additional holistic outcomes of verifiable co-benefits
• Donor models designed to facilitate high impact climate action.

Carbon credits with co-benefits – such as improved landscape function, biodiversity, water retention, and community resilience – offer an innovative approach to climate action. However, their value proposition for both farmers (producers) and the Australian community (donors) remains underexplored. Understanding how to maximise the benefits for all stakeholders can unlock opportunities to implement and commercialise voluntary action toward global climate goals. This research therefore also intends to define and quantify the value of these credits.

The study seeks to address the following SMART objectives:

Specific:
 Investigate the economic, environmental, and social value generated for farmers by producing carbon credits with co-benefits under sustainable land management practices.

Measurable:
 Quantify the impact of co-benefits (e.g. biodiversity enhancement, water savings, and soil health improvements) and their contribution to carbon credit valuation for sponsors.

Achievable:
 Develop a replicable framework for implementing and commercialising positive natural environment outcomes utilising atmospheric carbon drawdown activities.

Relevant:
 Align findings with Australian socio-economic objectives, regional policies (e.g. Australian Carbon Credit Units) and market needs for high-integrity carbon credits.

Time-Bound: 
Deliver a beta framework and stakeholder toolkit within 2 years; a comprehensive framework within 5 years.

Outcomes to be tested include:


• Value associated with defined categories of verifiable holistic co-benefits reflecting environmental, societal and land stewardship legacies
• A donor driven model driving protection and enhancement of the natural environment
• Acceleration of climate protection activities via transparent, non-deferred retirement of emissions.

With the following outcomes sought:


• A comprehensive framework for evaluating and categorising ESG/SDG-aligned co-benefits in carbon credit projects.
• Clear guidelines for quantifying co-benefits and integrating them into an identified and defined carbon credit valuation.
• Insights into how co-benefit information influences philanthropic investment behaviour.
• Total consistency with schemes and markets compliance and regulatory requirements.

For farmers:


• Enhanced on farm activity commercialisation through premium carbon credits with co-benefits.
• Improved environmental outcomes and farm resilience from sustainable practices.

For the natural environment:

• Scaled adoption of sustainable agricultural practices that generate co-benefits associated with the generation of carbon credits and drawdown of atmospheric emissions.
• Strengthened ecosystem services and climate resilience.

Landholder download           Sponsor download

Carbon credit markets have emerged as vital mechanisms for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and in a climate economy transition, these carbon credits traditionally form part of an emissions ledger associated with business activities.

The fate of ACCU’s generated through the Scheme largely contributes to an emerging and transitioning carbon economy. As a result of the early stage of the Safeguard Mechanism, market immaturity, policy uncertainty or economic pressures (to use some examples), ACCUs generated are:

• Delayed in their retirement (and contribution to climate action by keeping them floating in the market)
• Sold for flat currency, traded, held for insetting or offset against ongoing emissions in a transitioning carbon economy.

As ForGood launches, there are no traceable national examples of ACCUs (with or without co-benefits) being retired for the altruistic motivations of accelerating climate action (a ‘reset’ action),  outside of traditional pathways.

The philanthropic potential and holistic value of atmospheric carbon removals with associated co-benefits is of value to Australia and has commercial value by addressing the gap between high impact investment and verifiable direct action in this space, this is consistent with SoilCQuest’s purpose.

This project will focus on:

• Utilisation of current and established ACCU Scheme
• Refinement of a co-benefit framework beyond a stand alone carbon Scheme, that is suitable to the agricultural and nature based sector across Australia
• Development and deployment of farmer adoptable activities enhancing engagement in the generation and retirement of ACCUs married to additional holistic outcomes of verifiable co-benefits
• Donor models designed to facilitate high impact climate action.

Carbon credits with co-benefits – such as improved landscape function, biodiversity, water retention, and community resilience – offer an innovative approach to climate action. However, their value proposition for both farmers (producers) and the Australian community (donors) remains underexplored. Understanding how to maximise the benefits for all stakeholders can unlock opportunities to implement and commercialise voluntary action toward global climate goals. This research therefore also intends to define and quantify the value of these credits.

The study seeks to address the following SMART objectives:

Specific:
 Investigate the economic, environmental, and social value generated for farmers by producing carbon credits with co-benefits under sustainable land management practices.

Measurable:
 Quantify the impact of co-benefits (e.g. biodiversity enhancement, water savings, and soil health improvements) and their contribution to carbon credit valuation for sponsors.

Achievable:
 Develop a replicable framework for implementing and commercialising positive natural environment outcomes utilising atmospheric carbon drawdown activities.

Relevant:
 Align findings with Australian socio-economic objectives, regional policies (e.g. Australian Carbon Credit Units) and market needs for high-integrity carbon credits.

Time-Bound: 
Deliver a beta framework and stakeholder toolkit within 2 years; a comprehensive framework within 5 years.

Outcomes to be tested include:


• Value associated with defined categories of verifiable holistic co-benefits reflecting environmental, societal and land stewardship legacies
• A donor driven model driving protection and enhancement of the natural environment
• Acceleration of climate protection activities via transparent, non-deferred retirement of emissions.

With the following outcomes sought:


• A comprehensive framework for evaluating and categorising ESG/SDG-aligned co-benefits in carbon credit projects.
• Clear guidelines for quantifying co-benefits and integrating them into an identified and defined carbon credit valuation.
• Insights into how co-benefit information influences philanthropic investment behaviour.
• Total consistency with schemes and markets compliance and regulatory requirements.

For farmers:


• Enhanced on farm activity commercialisation through premium carbon credits with co-benefits.
• Improved environmental outcomes and farm resilience from sustainable practices.

For the natural environment:

• Scaled adoption of sustainable agricultural practices that generate co-benefits associated with the generation of carbon credits and drawdown of atmospheric emissions.
• Strengthened ecosystem services and climate resilience.

Landholder download

Sponsor download