Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Audit Thresholds) Instrument 2025
The Clean Energy Regulator makes the following instrument.
Dated 12 March 2025
David Parker AM John Kettle
Chair Member
Contents
2 Commencement
3 Authority
4 Schedule 1
5 Definitions
6 Audit thresholds
7 Number of subsequent audits
8 Trigger audit threshold
9 Alternative assurance projects
Schedule 1–Repeals
This instrument is the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Audit Thresholds) Instrument 2025.
(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Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made.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.
This instrument is made under subsection 75(4) of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Rule 2015.
Each instrument that is specified in Schedule 1 to this instrument is repealed as set out in the applicable items in that Schedule, and any other item in that Schedule has effect according to its terms.
Note: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 and the CFI Rule, including the following:
- eligible offsets project;
- initial audit;
- subsequent audit.
In this instrument:
CFI Rule means the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Rule 2015.
New project means an eligible offsets project, other than a transitioning project which is not required to have an initial audit.
tCO2-e means tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
The audit thresholds for eligible offsets projects (other than alternative assurance projects) are as follows:
Annual average abatement amount | Audit threshold |
50 000 tCO2-e or less | Threshold A (small) |
50 001 to 150 000 tCO2-e | Threshold B (medium) |
More than 150 000 tCO2-e | Threshold C (large) |
The number of subsequent audits required for eligible offsets projects (other than alternative assurance projects) that meet an audit threshold set out in Column I of the following table is the number set out adjacent to that audit threshold in Column II or Column III, as applicable, of the following table.
Column I | Column II | Column III |
Audit threshold | New projects | Transitioning projects that are not required to have an initial audit |
Threshold A (small) | 2 | 3 |
Threshold B (medium) | 3 | 4 |
Threshold C (large) | 5 | 6 |
The trigger audit threshold for eligible offsets projects is 100 000 tCO2-e.
(1) For the purposes of subsection 73(7) of the CFI Rule, a project is eligible to be an alternative assurance project if:
(a) the project is included in a class of projects mentioned in column 1 of an item in the table in subsection (3); and
(b) the applicable methodology determination for the project is prescribed by column 2 of that item; and
(c) the project meets the criteria prescribed by column 3 of that item; and
(d) the project proponent meets the conditions (if any) specified by column 4 of that item relating to the operation, monitoring or reporting for the project.
(2) For the purposes of paragraphs 75(4)(b) and 75(4)(bb) of the CFI Rule, if a project included in a class of projects mentioned in column 1 of an item in the table in subsection (3) is an alternative assurance project, column 5 of that item sets out:
(a) the number of scheduled audits (if any) for the project; and
(b) whether the first of those audits is an initial audit.
(3) The following table has effect:
Item | Column 1
| Column 2
| Column 3
| Column 4
| Column 5
|
| 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 in section 6 (CFI Rule paragraph 75(4)(b)), and whether the first is an initial audit (CFI Rule paragraph 75(4)(bb)) |
1 | Low Risk Environmental Plantings 2014 Projects | Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings—FullCAM) Methodology Determination 2014, including when applied under section 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 total size of all carbon estimation areas 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. | No conditions | Zero |
2 | Low Risk Plantation Forestry Projects | Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022, including when applied under section 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 total size of all carbon estimation areas for the project must be no more than 200 hectares. 3. The project is subject to geospatial tool monitoring by the Clean Energy Regulator. | No conditions | One, which is an initial audit |
3 | Low Risk Environmental Plantings 2024 Projects | Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings—FullCAM) Methodology Determination 2024, including when applied under section 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 total size of all carbon estimation areas for the project must be no more than 200 hectares. 3. The project must be modelled as a mixed species block planting in FullCAM (within the meaning of the prescribed methodology determination). 4. The project is subject to geospatial tool monitoring by the Clean Energy Regulator. | No conditions | Zero |
Note: If a project no longer satisfies a criterion 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.
Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Audit Thresholds) Instrument 2015
1 The whole of the instrument
Repeal the instrument.