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Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Audit Thresholds) Amendment (Low Risk Plantation Forestry Projects) Instrument 2024

The Clean Energy Regulator makes the following instrument.

Dated 27 August 2024 

David Parker AM Charles Kiefel AM

Chair Member

 

Contents

1 Name

2 Commencement

3 Authority

4 Schedules

Schedule 1—Amendments

Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Audit Thresholds) Instrument 2015

 

 

1  Name

  This instrument is the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Audit Thresholds) Amendment (Low Risk Plantation Forestry Projects) Instrument 2024.

2  Commencement

 (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Provisions

Commencement

Date/Details

1.  The whole of this instrument

The day after this instrument is registered.

 

Note:  This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.

 (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.

3  Authority

  This instrument is made under subsection 75(4) of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Rule 2015.

4  Schedules

  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1Amendments

Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Audit Thresholds) Instrument 2015

1  Section 4

Omit “(other than alternative assurance projects)”.

2  Section 7

Repeal the section, substitute:

7. Alternative assurance projects

For the purposes of subsection 73(7) of the CFI Rule, an alternative assurance project must:

 

 (a)  have its applicable methodology determination prescribed by column 3 of the following table; and

 (b)  meet the criteria prescribed by column 4 of the following table; and

 (c)  meet conditions on the project proponent related to the operation, monitoring or reporting for the project specified by column 5 of the following table.

The number of scheduled audits, and whether the first audit is an initial audit, for an alternative assurance project is as set out in column 6 of the following table.

Item

Class of project

Prescribed methodology determination

(CFI Rule paragraph 73(7)(a))

Project related criteria that must be met

(CFI Rule paragraph 73(7)(b))

Conditions related to operation, monitoring, or reporting for the project that must be met

(CFI Rule paragraph 73(7)(c))

Number of subsequent audits required for projects that meet an audit threshold (CFI Rule paragraph 75(4)(b)), and whether the first is an initial audit (CFI Rule paragraph 75(4)(bb))

1

Low Risk Environmental Planting Projects

Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings—FullCAM) Methodology Determination 2014 (whether applied as in force from time to time or applied under sections 125, 126 or 127 of the Act)

1. The project proponent, or nominee of multiple project proponents, must be a freehold title holder, leaseholder, or native title holder or registered native title body corporate for all project areas of the project.

2. The anticipated and reported carbon estimation area for the project must be no more than 200 hectares.

3. The project must be modelled as a mixed species block planting using the generic calibration in FullCAM (within the meaning of the prescribed methodology determination).

4. The project is subject to geospatial tool monitoring by the Clean Energy Regulator.

Nil

Zero

 

2

Low Risk Plantation Forestry Projects

Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022 (whether applied as in force from time to time or applied under sections 125, 126 or 127 of the Act)

1. The project must be a plantation forest project (within the meaning of the prescribed methodology determination) which is covered only by either or both paragraphs 8(1)(a) and 8(1)(b) of that determination.

2. The anticipated and reported carbon estimation area for the project must be no more than 200 hectares.

3. The project is subject to geospatial tool monitoring by the Clean Energy Regulator.

Nil

One, which is an initial audit

Note: If a project fails to satisfy a criteria or condition specified in the table, the Clean Energy Regulator may amend the audit schedule for the project in accordance with paragraph 73(5)(ab) of the CFI Rule.