By Australian farmers
Making money with carbon bonding
For the first time in the world, farmers in Australia are paid when they manage to bind carbon in the soil. The government makes several funds available for this. Agricultural entrepreneurs, who participate, hope to tap into a new source of income.
Farmers in the Australian states of South Australia and Victoria can receive money through a new subsidy scheme from the Australian government when they fix carbon in their farmland. A group of farmers has won subsidies for this, writes ABC News.
Symbol policy
One of the farmers participating in the project, Steven Hobbs, calls the subsidy scheme to reduce emissions symbolic. "But, a little symbolism is better than doing nothing at all," he says. "Unfortunately, the government has a lot of double standards. It is a step in the right direction that the government recognizes that our farmland has the potential to bind carbon."
10 years of carbon binding
The ERF (Emissions Reduction Fund) subsidy scheme is an 'auction' open to farmers and landowners to fund projects such as carbon fixation. This subsidy scheme is already active within pig farming to reduce methane gas emissions. Participants in the ERF fund are paid approximately 10 Australian dollars per carbon credit. Converted €6,67 per credit. The credit is based on the carbon-binding capacity of their land over a 10-year period.
Unique project
The money is intended to encourage farmers to carry out restorative work on their farms and to bind carbon to the soil. According to the Australians, it is the first time worldwide that money has been paid for this. Over the years, the agricultural sector has emitted a lot of CO2, due to carbon losses. This process should now be reversed. Other countries are following the Australian project with interest.
10
dollar
Price too low
According to Louisa Kiely, of the organization Carbon Farmers Australia, the $10 per credit is too low. “In addition to carbon binding, carbon sequestration also has the benefit of making food healthier and soil more fertile,” Kiely says. "Despite the low price, it is important that farmers participate in the project. As carbon sequestration evolves, it can be migrated to the private sector and sold by agricultural entrepreneurs." Hobbs also hopes that in the future farmers will be able to act locally or internationally in reducing emissions through carbon binding.
Potential in the Netherlands
Research Institute Alterra treasure This means that the total stock of carbon in Dutch soil amounts to 357 million tons. Theoretically, it is possible to reduce 5 million tons of CO2 through measures in agriculture. It concluded that after a study in 2013. Measures that could be taken include no plowing, better rotations, more supply of extra carbon and better water management. The total net CO2 emissions of Dutch agriculture are around 0, Alterra writes.
Niels van der Boom
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