{"id":"F2015L00320","name":"Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects) Methodology Determination 2015","slug":"carbon-credits-carbon-farming-initiative-designated-verified-carbon-standard-projects-methodology-de","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":438256,"registerId":"F2015L00320-fast-fetch-1775954752695","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects) Methodology Determination 2015","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-description: \"EMISSIONS REDUCTION FUND: DETERMINATION FOR CONSIDERATION – DESIGNATED VERIFIED CARBON STANDARD PROJECTS\"\ntitle: Normal\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nCarbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects) Methodology Determination 2015\n\nI, Greg Hunt, Minister for the Environment, make the following determination.\n\nDated 17:3:2015 \n\nGreg Hunt\n\nGreg Hunt\n\nMinister for the Environment\n\n\n\n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n—Preliminary\n\nName\n\nCommencement\n\nAuthority\n\nDuration\n\nDefinitions\n\n—Designated Verified Carbon Standard projects\n\nDesignated Verified Carbon Standard projects\n\n—Project requirements\n\n—General requirements\n\nOperation of this Part\n\n—Information provided to Regulator\n\nInformation supported by evidence\n\nSpatial information\n\nTree species information\n\nBaseline harvest information\n\nProject scenario information\n\n—Other requirements\n\nVerified Carbon Units\n\nNo re-harvest events\n\nNo land conversion events\n\nNo harvest events after 2028\n\nRemoval of biomass and thinning\n\n—Net abatement amount\n\n—Operation of this Part\n\nOperation of this Part\n\nReferences to factors and parameters from external sources\n\n—Project commencement\n\nProject commencement\n\n—Calculating net baseline emissions\n\n—General\n\nGeneral\n\n—Carbon stock extracted from project area\n\nGeneral\n\nMean merchantable volume of each species in each stratum\n\nMean merchantable volume in each land parcel\n\nMean volume of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel\n\nMean carbon stock of harvested biomass for each species in each land parcel\n\nBiomass conversion factor\n\nMean carbon stock of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel\n\nCarbon stock of logging slash in each land parcel\n\nCarbon stock of extracted timber from each land parcel\n\nCarbon stock for each harvested wood product in each land parcel\n\n—Carbon stock in existence in harvested wood products at end of crediting period\n\nGeneral\n\nCarbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—decay factor method\n\nCarbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—maximum loss method\n\nCalculating carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—conservative estimate\n\nCarbon stock in existence in harvested wood products at end of crediting period\n\n—Carbon stock in forest regrowth after harvest\n\nGeneral\n\nCarbon stock in regrowth each land parcel\n\nCarbon stock in regrowth in all land parcels\n\nCarbon stock of harvested biomass for all species in each land parcel\n\nLoss from logging slash and harvested wood product decay over the crediting period\n\n—Net baseline emissions\n\nGeneral\n\nNet carbon stock change—all land parcels\n\nNet baseline emissions—all land parcels\n\nEmissions before project commencement\n\n—Calculating net project emissions\n\n—General\n\nGeneral\n\n—Net sequestration\n\nGeneral\n\nAverage growth rate in land parcel\n\nCarbon stock increases due to growth in project scenario\n\n—Natural disturbances\n\nGeneral\n\nDetection of natural disturbances\n\nEstablishing a grid overlay\n\nSample plots\n\nCalculating biomass proportion\n\nCalculating average tree proportion\n\nCalculating margin of error for tree proportion\n\nCalculating probable limits of error for tree proportion\n\nCalculating conservative estimate of tree proportion\n\nProportion of biomass killed\n\nNotional area of biomass killed in land parcel\n\nCarbon stock in debris pool following natural disturbance\n\nCarbon dioxide emissions\n\nEmissions from carbon stock burnt\n\nNet project emissions\n\n—Carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount\n\nCarbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount\n\n—Reporting, record keeping and monitoring requirements\n\n—General\n\nApplication\n\n—Monitoring requirements\n\nProject monitoring\n\n—Record-keeping requirements\n\nRecords that must be created and kept\n\n—Offsets report requirements\n\nDetermination of certain factors and parameters\n\n\n\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1 Name\n\n This is the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects) Methodology Determination 2015.\n\n2 Commencement\n\n This determination is taken to have come into force on 1 January 2013.\n\n3 Authority\n\n This determination is made under subsection 106(1) of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011.\n\n4 Duration\n\n This determination remains in force for the period that:\n\n (a) begins when this instrument commences; and\n\n (b) ends on the day before this instrument would otherwise be repealed under subsection 50(1) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.\n\n5 Definitions\n\n In this determination:\n\nAct means the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011.\n\nbaseline (BSL)means the scenario in which harvest events meeting the requirements of sections 14 to 16 would occur in the project area if the project were not carried out.\n\nbiomass means vegetation-derived organic matter.\n\ncarbon stock means an amount of carbon.\n\nC means carbon.\n\nCO2‑e means carbon dioxide equivalent.\n\ndebris means above-ground dead plant material.\n\ndesignated Verified Carbon Standard project—see section 6.\n\nforest means land of a minimum area of 0.2 of a hectare on which trees:\n\n (a) have attained, or have the potential to attain, a crown cover of at least 20% across the area of land; and\n\n (b) have reached, or have the potential to reach, a height of at least 2 metres.\n\nharvest date means the calendar year in which a land parcel would be harvested if the project were not carried out.\n\nharvested wood product means pulpwood or sawlog.\n\nland parcel means an area of land at no specific location in a stratum in which a harvest event would occur in a particular year of the crediting period if the project were not carried out.\n\nNote For example, a 50 hectare land parcel in Stratum A, which has an area of 100 hectares, could be any 50 hectares of Stratum A that would be harvested in 2022 if the project were not carried out.\n\nlogging slash means debris from a harvest event remaining in a land parcel.\n\nmerchantable volume means the maximum amount of timber that could be extracted for sale.\n\nNational Inventory Report means the most recently published document that is:\n\n (a) known as the National Inventory Report; and\n\n (b) prepared by the Department in fulfilment of obligations that Australia has under the Climate Change Convention. \n\nNGER Measurement Determination means the applicable determination made under subsection 10(3) of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007.\n\nNGER Regulations means the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Regulations 2008.\n\nproject scenario (PRJ) means the avoidance of all harvest events in all land parcels in the crediting period.\n\nstratum means an area of land in the project area.\n\nStudent t-test means a statistical hypothesis test in which the test statistic follows a Student's t distribution if the null hypothesis is supported.\n\nValidation Report means an independent report of that name assessing a Verified Carbon Standard project against a Verified Carbon Standard methodology.\n\nVerification Report means an independent report of that name assessing a Verified Carbon Standard project’s actual emission reductions against a Verified Carbon Standard methodology.\n\nVerified Carbon Standard means the independent, non-profit organisation generally known as the ‘Verified Carbon Standard’.\n\nVerified Carbon Standard modelling period means the period over which the project’s carbon stocks were modelled when it was a Verified Carbon Standard project.\n\nVerified Carbon Standard project means a project approved, or previously approved, by the Verified Carbon Standard.\n\nVerified Carbon Standard project start date means the day on which a Verified Carbon Standard project started.\n\nVerified Carbon Unit means a unit issued by the Verified Carbon Standard to Verified Carbon standard projects.\n\nNote Other words and expressions used in this determination have the meaning given by the Act. These include:\n\ncrediting period\n\neligible carbon abatement\n\neligible offsets project\n\nemission\n\ngreenhouse gas\n\nnatural disturbance\n\noffsets project\n\noffsets report\n\nproject\n\nproject area\n\nproject proponent\n\nRegulator\n\nreporting period\n\nsequestration offsets project.\n\nPart 2—Designated Verified Carbon Standard projects\n\n6 Designated Verified Carbon Standard projects\n\n (1) For paragraph 106(1)(a) of the Act, this determination applies to a sequestration offsets project that:\n\n (a) is a designated Verified Carbon Standard project for the purposes of sub-item 388A(1) of Schedule 1 to the Carbon Farming Initiative Amendment Act 2014; and\n\n (b) results in eligible carbon abatement; and\n\n (c) was registered under the Verified Carbon Standard before 18 June 2014.\n\n (2) A project covered by subsection (1) is a designated Verified Carbon Standard project.\n\nPart 3—Project requirements\n\nDivision 1—General requirements\n\n7 Operation of this Part\n\n For paragraph 106(1)(b) of the Act, this Part sets out requirements that must be met for a designated Verified Carbon Standard project to be an eligible offsets project.\n\n \n\nDivision 2—Information provided to Regulator \n\n8 Information supported by evidence\n\n (1) The information provided to the Regulator in accordance with this Division must be supported by evidence.\n\n (2) The evidence may comprise maps, spreadsheets or other documents.\n\n (3) The evidence must be contained or referenced in:\n\n (a) the Validation Report for the project; or\n\n (b) a Verification Report for the project.\n\n9 Spatial information\n\n The project proponent must provide the Regulator with the following spatial information:\n\n (a) the location of each stratum in the project area; \n\n (b) the area, in hectares, of each stratum;\n\n (c) the location of each sample plot in each stratum;\n\n (d) the stratum each land parcel is in;\n\n (e) the area in hectares of each land parcel. \n\n10 Tree species information\n\n The project proponent must provide the Regulator with the following information for each tree species harvested in the baseline:\n\n (a) the basic wood density, in tonnes of dry matter per cubic metre, of each species in the project area; and\n\n (b) the merchantable volume, in cubic metres, of each tree species in each sample plot in each stratum.\n\n11 Baseline harvest information\n\n The project proponent must provide the Regulator with the following baseline harvest information:\n\n (a) the year in which each land parcel would be harvested if the project were not carried out;\n\n (b) the proportion of each harvested wood product extracted from each land parcel;\n\n (c) the proportion of biomass extracted from each land parcel;\n\n (d) the projected growth, in cubic metres per hectare, in each land parcel before the harvest in the land parcel;\n\n (e) the annual average rate of carbon stock increase, in tonnes C per hectare per year, in each land parcel.\n\n12 Project scenario information\n\n The project proponent must provide the Regulator with the following project scenario information:\n\n (a) the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in each land parcel at the end of the Verified Carbon Standard modelling period;\n\n (b) the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in each land parcel at the harvest date.\n\nDivision 3—Other requirements \n\n13 Verified Carbon Units\n\n The project proponent must provide the Regulator with evidence of:\n\n (a) the most recent day in respect of which Verified Carbon Units were issued for the project; and \n\nNote For example, if Verified Carbon Units were issued for the project for abatement occurring between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2012, the most recent day in respect of which Verified Carbon Units were issued for the project is 30 June 2012.\n\n (b) the number of Verified Carbon Units issued for the project; and\n\n (c) the Verified Carbon Standard project start date; and\n\n (d) the Verified Carbon Standard modelling period.\n\n14 No re-harvest events\n\n In the baseline, a land parcel may only be scheduled to be harvested in one year in the crediting period.\n\nNote For example, if a land parcel is to be harvested in 2014 in the baseline scenario, it cannot be scheduled to be re-harvested in any other year in the crediting period.\n\n15 No land conversion events\n\n In the baseline, a land parcel must not have a scheduled harvest event with the result that the land parcel is converted to a non-forest land use.\n\nNote For example, a land parcel cannot be scheduled to be harvested and converted to grazing land.\n\n16 No harvest events after 2028\n\n In the baseline, a land parcel must not be scheduled to be harvested after 31 December 2028.\n\n17 Removal of biomass and thinning\n\n (1) Live trees and other live biomass must not be removed from the project area.\n\n (2) Dead wood may be removed from the project area.\n\n (3) Thinning is not permitted in the project area.\n\nPart 4—Net abatement amount\n\nDivision 1—Operation of this Part\n\n18 Operation of this Part\n\n For paragraph 106(1)(c) of the Act, this Part specifies the method for working out the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount for a reporting period for a designated Verified Carbon Standard project that is an eligible offsets project.\n\n19 References to factors and parameters from external sources\n\n (1) If a calculation in this determination includes a factor or parameter that is defined or calculated by reference to another instrument or writing, the factor or parameter to be used for a reporting period is the factor or parameter referred to in, or calculated by reference to, the instrument or writing as in force at the end of the reporting period.\n\n (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if:\n\n (a) the determination specifies otherwise; or\n\n (b) it is not possible to define or calculate the factor or parameter by reference to the instrument or writing as in force at the end of the reporting period.\n\nDivision 2—Project commencement\n\n20 Project commencement\n\n (1) The project proponent must determine the day on which the project commences in accordance with this section.\n\n (2) The project commences on the later of:\n\n (a) January 2013; or\n\n (b) the day after the most recent day in respect of which Verified Carbon Units were issued for the project.\n\nNote For example, if Verified Carbon Units were issued for the project in respect of abatement occurring until 31 March 2013, the project commences on 1 April 2013.\n\nDivision 3—Calculating net baseline emissions\n\nSubdivision 1—General\n\n21 General\n\n (1) The project proponent must calculate the project’s net baseline emissions by completing the equations in this Division.\n\n (2) The information provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3 and listed in the left-hand column of Table A must be used when completing the equations in the right hand column.\n\nNote The information provided to the Regulator set out in Table A must be supported by evidence contained or referenced in a Validation Report or Verification Report for the project. See subsection 8(3).\n\nTable A\n\n| Information provided to Regulator | Parameter | Equation |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Area, in hectares, of each stratum |  | 25 |\n| Area, in hectares, of each land parcel |  | 13, 15, 19, 25 |\n| Basic wood density, in tonnes of dry matter per cubic metre, of each tree species in the project area. |  | 5 |\n| Projected growth before harvest, in cubic metres per hectare, in each land parcel. |  | 2B |\n| Merchantable volume, in cubic metres, of each tree species in each sample plot in each stratum. |  | 1 |\n| Proportion of biomass extracted from each land parcel. |  | 3 |\n| Year in the crediting period in which each land parcel would be harvested if the project were not carried out. |  | 6, 9, 12, 31 |\n| Proportion of each harvested wood product extracted from each land parcel. |  | 8 |\n| Average annual rate of carbon stock increase, in tonnes C per hectare per year, in each land parcel. |  | 12 |\n| Number of Voluntary Carbon Units issued for the project before project commencement. |  | 17 |\n| Carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in each land parcel at the harvest date. |  | 18 |\n| Carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in each land parcel at the end of the Verified Carbon Standard modelling period. |  | 18 |\n\n\nSubdivision 2—Carbon stock extracted from project area\n\n22 General\n\n (1) The carbon stock extracted from the project area in the baseline is calculated in accordance with this Subdivision.\n\n (2) Unless otherwise specified, for the purposes of this Part, projected growth in a land parcel is taken to be a species (). \n\n23 Mean merchantable volume of each species in each stratum\n\n (1) The mean merchantable volume of each species in each stratum must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 1 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where: \n\n| = | the mean merchantable volume, in cubic metres per hectare, of species  in stratum . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the total number of sample plots in stratum . |\n|  | the merchantable volume, in cubic metres, of species  in sample plot  in stratum —provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n|  | the area, in hectares, of sample plot . |\n\n\n (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to projected growth.\n\n24 Mean merchantable volume in each land parcel\n\n (1) The mean merchantable volume of each species in each land parcel must be calculated:\n\n (a) if the mean merchantable volume of the species in a stratum was calculated using Equation 1—using Equation 2A; or\n\n (b) if projected growth was provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3—using Equation 2B.\n\n|
| Equation 2A |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where: \n\n|  | the mean merchantable volume, in cubic metres per hectare, of species  in land parcel. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  = | the mean merchantable volume, in cubic metres per hectare, of species  in stratum  in which the land parcel  is located—from Equation 1. |\n\n\n \n\n|
| Equation 2B |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the mean merchantable volume, in cubic metres per hectare, of species  in land parcel . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the projected growth before harvest, in cubic metres per hectare, in land parcel —provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n\n\n (2) The mean merchantable volume of all species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
 | Equation 2C |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the mean merchantable volume, in cubic metres per hectare, of all species in land parcel. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  = | the mean merchantable volume, in cubic metres per hectare, of species  in land parcel —from Equation 2A or 2B. |\n\n\n25 Mean volume of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel\n\n The mean volume of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 3 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the mean volume of extracted timber, in cubic metres per hectare, for species  in land parcel . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the mean merchantable volume, in cubic metres per hectare, for species  in land parcel —from Equation 2A or 2B. |\n|  | the proportion of biomass extracted from land parcel—provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n\n\n26 Mean carbon stock of harvested biomass for each species in each land parcel\n\n The mean carbon stock of harvested biomass for each species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 4 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the mean carbon stock of harvested biomass, in tonnes C per hectare, for species  in land parcel . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the mean volume of extracted timber, in cubic metres per hectare, for species  in land parcel —from Equation 3. |\n|  | biomass conversion and expansion factor, in tonnes of dry matter per cubic metre—from Table B. |\n|  | 0.5, being the fraction of carbon in biomass. |\n\n\n27 Biomass conversion factor\n\n The biomass conversion factor for each species in each land parcel is given in the following table:\n\n Table B\n\n| The mean merchantable volume, in cubic metres per hectare, of all species in land parcel—from Equation 2C | Biomass conversion and expansion factor ( |\n| --- | --- |\n| <20 | 3 |\n| 21–40 | 1.7 |\n| 41–100 | 1.4 |\n| 100–200 | 1.05 |\n| >200 | 0.8 |\n\n\n28 Mean carbon stock of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel\n\n The mean carbon stock of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 5 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the mean carbon stock of extracted timber, in tonnes C per hectare, for species  in land parcel . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the mean volume of extracted timber, in cubic metres per hectare, for species  in land parcel —from Equation 3. |\n|  | (a) for projected growth in a land parcel—basic wood density is 0.63 tonnes of dry matter per cubic metre; and
(b) otherwise—basic wood density, in tonnes of dry matter per cubic metre, of species —provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n|  | 0.5, being the fraction of carbon in biomass. |\n\n\nNote Projected growth in a land parcel is taken to be a species in this Part. See subsection 22(2).\n\n29 Carbon stock of logging slash in each land parcel\n\n The mean carbon stock of logging slash remaining as debris at the end of the crediting period in each land parcel, in tonnes C per hectare, must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 6 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon stock of logging slash, in tonnes C per hectare, remaining as debris at the end of the crediting period for all species in land parcel . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the mean carbon stock of harvested biomass, in tonnes C per hectare, for species  in land parcel —from Equation 4. |\n|  | the mean carbon stock of extracted timber, in tonnes C per hectare, for species  in land parcel —from Equation 5. |\n|  | 0.1 being the debris decay factor. |\n| = | the number of years between the harvest in land parcel and the end of the crediting period. |\n\n\n30 Carbon stock of extracted timber from each land parcel\n\n The carbon stock of extracted timber from each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 7 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon stock of extracted timber, in tonnes C per hectare, for all tree species in land parcel. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the mean carbon stock of extracted timber, in tonnes C per hectare, for species  in land parcel —from Equation 5. |\n\n\n31 Carbon stock for each harvested wood product in each land parcel\n\n The carbon stock of each kind of harvested wood product, in tonnes C per hectare, for each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 8 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n| = | the carbon stock of harvested wood product k, in tonnes C per hectare, resulting from the harvest in land parcel. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the carbon stock of harvested wood products, in tonnes C per hectare, for all tree species in land parcel—from Equation 7. |\n|  | the proportion of harvested wood product  extracted from land parcel—provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n\n\nSubdivision 3—Carbon stock in existence in harvested wood products at end of crediting period\n\n32 General\n\n (1) The total carbon stock in existence in harvested wood products at the end of the crediting period is calculated in accordance with this Subdivision. \n\n (2) The project proponent must use the values in Table C in Equations 9 and 10 in this Subdivision.\n\nTable C\n\n| Harvested wood product () | Wood waste () | Decay factor
() | Minimum carbon stock in existence at end of crediting period () |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Sawlog | 0.19 | 0.033 | 0.8 |\n| Pulpwood | 0.19 | 0.333 | 0.1 |\n\n\n33 Carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—decay factor method\n\n For each harvested wood product from each land parcel, the carbon stock in existence at the end of the crediting period must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 9 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon stock of harvested wood product k, in tonnes C per hectare, from land parcel in existence at the end of the crediting period. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the carbon stock of harvested wood product k, in tonnes C per hectare, resulting from harvest in land parcel—from Equation 8. |\n|  | the proportion of biomass carbon lost from wood products after milling operations for harvested wood product —from Table C. |\n| = | the decay factor for harvested wood product—from Table C. |\n| = | the number of years between the harvest in land parcel and the end of the crediting period. |\n\n\n34 Carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—maximum loss method\n\n For each harvested wood product, the minimum carbon stock remaining in each land parcel at the end of the crediting period must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 10 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | minimum carbon stock for harvested wood product k, in tonnes C per hectare, remaining in land parcel at the end of the crediting period. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the carbon stock of harvested wood product k, in tonnes C per hectare, resulting from the harvest in land parcel—from Equation 8. |\n|  | proportion of biomass carbon lost from harvested wood products after milling operations for wood product —from Table C. |\n|  | the minimum proportion of harvested wood product k remaining at the end of the crediting period—from Table C. |\n\n\n35 Calculating carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—conservative estimate\n\n (1) For each harvested wood product extracted from each land parcel, a conservative estimate of the carbon stock in the harvested wood product in existence at the end of the crediting period must be made in accordance with this section.\n\nNote The conservative estimate takes the higher of the values calculated using Equation 9 and 10. This is conservative because the more carbon stock exists at the end of the crediting period, the lower the emissions in the baseline and therefore the lower the emissions that have been avoided in the project scenario.\n\n (2) If the value calculated using Equation 9 is greater or equal to the value calculated using Equation 10, the carbon stock in the harvested wood product in existence at the end of the crediting period () is the value calculated using Equation 9 ().\n\n (3) If the value calculated using Equation 9 is less than the value calculated using Equation10, the carbon stock in the harvested wood product in existence at the end of the crediting period () is the value calculated using Equation 10 ().\n\n36 Carbon stock in existence in harvested wood products at end of crediting period\n\n The carbon stock in existence in all harvested wood products at the end of the crediting period must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 11 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, of all harvested wood products from land parcel present at the end of the crediting period. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the carbon stock of harvested wood product k, in tonnes C per hectare, resulting from harvest in land parcel—determined in accordance with section 35. |\n\n\nSubdivision 4—Carbon stock in forest regrowth after harvest\n\n37 General\n\n The carbon stock in forest regrowth after harvests in the baseline is calculated in accordance with this Subdivision.\n\n38 Carbon stock in regrowth each land parcel\n\n For each land parcel, the carbon stock in regrowth in the crediting period, in tonnes C per hectare, after the harvest in the land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 12 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon stock in regrowth, in tonnes C per hectare, in the crediting period after the harvest in land parcel . |\n| --- | --- |\n| = | the average annual rate of carbon stock increase, in tonnes C per hectare per year, in land parcel—provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n| = | the number of years between the harvest in land parcel and the end of the crediting period. |\n\n\n39 Carbon stock in regrowth in all land parcels\n\n The carbon stock in regrowth, in tonnes C, in all land parcels must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 13 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon stock in regrowth, in tonnes C, in the crediting period in all land parcels. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the area, in hectares, of land parcel —provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n|  | the carbon stock in regrowth, in tonnes C per hectare, after a harvest in land parcel —from Equation 12. |\n\n\n40 Carbon stock of harvested biomass for all species in each land parcel\n\n The mean carbon stock of harvested biomass for all species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 14 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the mean carbon stock of harvested biomass, in tonnes C per hectare, for all species in land parcel . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the mean carbon stock of harvested biomass, in tonnes C per hectare, for species  in land parcel —from Equation 4. |\n\n\n41 Loss from logging slash and harvested wood product decay over the crediting period\n\n The loss of carbon stock, in tonnes C, from all land parcels over the crediting period must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n| 
| Equation 15 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the loss of carbon stock, in tonnes C, from all land parcels over the crediting period. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the area, in hectares, of land parcel —provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n|  | the mean carbon stock of harvested biomass, in tonnes C per hectare, for all species in land parcel —from Equation 14. |\n|  = | the carbon stock of logging slash, in tonnes C per hectare, remaining as debris at the end of the crediting period for all species in land parcel —from Equation 6. |\n|  | the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, of all harvested wood products from land parcel present at the end of the crediting period—from Equation 11. |\n\n\nSubdivision 5—Net baseline emissions\n\n42 General\n\n Net baseline emissions are calculated in accordance with this Subdivision.\n\n43 Net carbon stock change—all land parcels\n\n The net carbon stock change in all land parcels over the crediting period must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 16 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the net carbon stock change, in tonnes C, in all land parcels over the crediting period. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the loss of carbon stock, in tonnes C, from all land parcels over the crediting period—from Equation 15. |\n|  | the carbon stock in regrowth, in tonnes C, in the crediting period in all land parcels—from Equation 13. |\n\n\n44 Net baseline emissions—all land parcels\n\n For each reporting period, net baseline emissions must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n| 
| Equation 17 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, in the baseline scenario in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the loss of carbon stock, in tonnes C, from all land parcels over the crediting period—from Equation 16. |\n|  = | the number Voluntary Carbon Units issued for the project—provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n|  | (a) the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, in the period  between the Verified Carbon Standard project start date and project commencement—from section 45 if section 45 applies; or
(b) otherwise—zero. |\n|  | the number of years in the crediting period. |\n|  | the number of years in reporting period. |\n\n\n Note The factor  represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.\n\n Note  is equivalent to an amount in tonnes CO2-e\n\n45 Emissions before project commencement\n\n (1) This section applies if there is a land parcel in the project area with a harvest date earlier than project commencement.\n\n (2) The project proponent must calculate the greenhouse gas emissions before project commencement, in tonnes CO2-e, from all land parcels with harvest dates earlier than project commencement () by completing every relevant equation in this Part for those land parcels.\n\n (3) For the purposes of subsection (2):\n\n (a) where an equation contains the subscript , the project proponent must substitute  for , where  is the period between the Verified Carbon Standard project start date and project commencement; and\n\n (b) references to the reporting period are taken to be references to the period between the Verified Carbon Standard project start date and project commencement; and\n\n (c) the project proponent must provide the Regulator with the information prescribed by Division 2 in relation to each land parcel with a harvest date earlier than project commencement; and\n\n (d) the project proponent must not complete Equation 17; and \n\n (e) instead of completing Equation 17, the project proponent must complete the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 17A |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, in the period  between the Verified Carbon Standard project start date and project commencement. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the loss of carbon stock, in tonnes C, from all land parcels over the crediting period—from Equation 16. |\n|  | the number of years in the crediting period. |\n|  | the number of years in the period  between the Verified Carbon Standard project start date and project commencement. |\n\n\nNote The factor  represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.\n\n (4) If the project proponent does not provide the Regulator with the information prescribed by Division 3.2 in relation to a land parcel with a harvest date earlier than project commencement, the value for  is zero.\n\nDivision 4—Calculating net project emissions\n\nSubdivision 1—General\n\n46 General\n\n The project proponent must calculate the project’s net emissions in the project scenario by completing the equations in this Division. \n\nSubdivision 2—Net sequestration\n\n47 General\n\n Carbon stock increases in the project scenario are calculated in accordance with this Subdivision.\n\n48 Average growth rate in land parcel\n\n For each land parcel, the annualised growth rate after harvest must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n \n\n|
|
Equation 18
|\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the annualised growth rate after harvest, in tonnes C per hectare per year, for land parcel . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  = | the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in land parcel  at the end of the Verified Carbon Standard modelling period—provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3 |\n|  = | the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in land parcel at the harvest date—provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3 |\n|  | the number of years in the crediting period. |\n\n\n49 Carbon stock increases due to growth in project scenario\n\n For each reporting period, carbon stock increases in the project area in the project scenario must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
|
Equation 19
|\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon stock increases since harvest, in tonnes CO2e, in the project scenario in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the annualised growth rate after harvest, in tonnes C per hectare per year, for land parcel —from Equation 18. |\n| = | the area, in hectares, in land parcel —provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n|  | the number of years in reporting period. |\n\n\nNote The factor  represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.\n\nSubdivision 3—Natural disturbances\n\n50 General\n\n (1) Emissions from biomass killed by natural disturbances in the project area are calculated in accordance with this Subdivision. \n\n (2) The project proponent must calculate the emissions from biomass killed in the natural disturbance before submitting the next offsets report. \n\n51 Detection of natural disturbances \n\n (1) This section applies if:\n\n (a) a natural disturbance has been detected; and\n\n (b) the natural disturbance has, or is likely to have, killed trees in more than 5% of the project area.\n\n (2) The project proponent must:\n\n (a) identify the natural disturbance on a map; and\n\n (b) calculate the area, in hectares, of land in each stratum that has been affected by the natural disturbance.\n\n (3) The natural disturbance is taken to have led to canopy decline in the area affected by the natural disturbance unless the project proponent is able to assess, in accordance with subsection (4), that there has been no canopy decline.\n\n (4) For subsection (3):\n\n (a) the assessment must be based on remotely-sensed image of the affected area from:\n\n (i) no earlier than 6 months before the natural disturbance; and\n\n (ii) no later than 6 months after the natural disturbance; and\n\n (b) the resolution of the images must be at least 30m × 30m. \n\n (5) The proportion of biomass killed by the natural disturbance is:\n\n (a) if there has been no canopy decline—zero;\n\n (b) if there has been canopy decline:\n\n (i) if the project proponent estimates the proportion of biomass killed by sampling the area affected in accordance with sections 53 to 55—the proportion given by Equation 20; or\n\n (ii) otherwise—100%.\n\n (6) In this section:\n\n canopy decline means a loss of an area of canopy cover equivalent to at least 5% of the project area.\n\n52 Establishing a grid overlay\n\n (1) This section applies if the project proponent elects to estimate the proportion of biomass killed in accordance with sections 52 to 55 (see subparagraph 50(5)(b)(i)).\n\n (2) A grid overlay over the affected area must be established in accordance with this section.\n\n (3) The grid must consist of square cells.\n\n (4) There must be at least 5 grid intersects within each affected area in each stratum.\n\n (5) An anchor point for the grid must be obtained by randomly selecting an easting and northing within the ranges of easting and northing coordinates for the affected area.\n\n (6) The easting and northing coordinates referred to in subsection (4) must be from the Map Grid of Australia, known as MGA94, or any Australian standard that replaces MGA94.\n\n (7) The orientation of the grid must be determined by randomly selecting an angle between zero and 89 degrees.\n\n (8) Each grid intersect must be assigned a unique identifier.\n\n53 Sample plots\n\n (1) This section applies if the project proponent elects to estimate the proportion of biomass killed in accordance with sections 52 to 55 (see subparagraph 50(5)(b)(i)).\n\n (2) Sample plots must be located at each grid intersect established in accordance with section 52.\n\n (3) Plots must have:\n\n (a) a fixed orthogonal area; and\n\n (b) a minimum size of 0.01ha.\n\n (4) All plots in the affected area must have the same shape.\n\n (5) The plots must be either circular or rectangular.\n\n (6) If the plots are circular, they must be established so that:\n\n (a) the centre of the plot is the actual plot location; and\n\n (b) the boundary of the plot is defined by the circumference.\n\n (7) If the plots are rectangular, they must be established so that the actual plot location has the same relative position in each rectangular plot in the disturbed area.\n\n (8) In this section:\n\nrelative position means the most north-westerly, north-easterly, south-easterly or south-westerly corner of a rectangular plot.\n\n orthogonal area means the area in a horizontal plane, not a sloping plane. Any measurements of length (e.g. the length of the side of a rectangular plot) must be the horizontal distance, not the slope distance.\n\n54 Calculating biomass proportion\n\n (1) This section applies if the project proponent elects to estimate the proportion of biomass killed in accordance with sections 52 to 55 (see subparagraph 50(5)(b)(i)).\n\n (2) Every living tree and every dead tree in a sample plot must have its stem diameter measured at 1.3m aboveground (DBH) and status (dead or living) recorded:\n\n (a) no earlier than 6 months after the detection of the natural disturbance; and\n\n (b) not before it is safe to enter the area affected by the natural disturbance.\n\n (3) Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to trees belonging to a class that was not included in biomass surveys conducted under the Verified Carbon Standard.\n\nNote For example, if trees in a sample plot with a diameter of less than 20cm were excluded from a biomass survey of the same sample plot conducted under the Verified Carbon Standard, those trees do not have to be counted.\n\n (4) The basal area of each measured tree must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 20A |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the basal area of tree  in sample plot in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the stem diameter of tree  in sample plot in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period . |\n\n\n \n\n (5) The proportion of biomass killed within each sample plot must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 20B |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the proportion of biomass killed in sample plotin disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the basal area of tree  in sample plot in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period . |\n\n\n \n\n (6) In this section, class means a group of trees sharing a common characteristic such as species or stem diameter.\n\n55 Calculating average tree proportion\n\n The average proportion of biomass killed must be calculated for each stratum using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 21 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the average proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period  |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | a sample plot sp within the disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period . |\n|  | the proportion of biomass killed in sample plot in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period —from Equation 20B. |\n|  | The total number of plots within the disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period . |\n\n\n56 Calculating margin of error for tree proportion\n\n The margin of error for the proportion of biomass killed must be calculated for each stratum using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 22 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the margin of error for the proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period  |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the critical value of the t-distribution for a Student t-test, using n-1 degrees of freedom at the P=0.05 level of significance. |\n|  | the standard deviation of the average proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period  |\n|  | the total number of plots in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period  |\n\n\n57 Calculating probable limits of error for tree proportion\n\n The probable limits of error at the P=0.05 level of significance for the proportion of biomass killed must be calculated for each stratum using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 23 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the probable limits of error for the proportion of biomass killed () at the P=0.05 level of significance in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period  |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the margin of error for the proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period —from Equation 22. |\n|  | the average proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period —from Equation 21. |\n\n\nNote The factor of 100 converts  into a percentage.\n\n58 Calculating conservative estimate of tree proportion\n\n The conservative estimate of the proportion of biomass killed in each stratum must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 24 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the conservative estimate of the proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the average proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period —from Equation 21. |\n|  | the margin of error for the proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period —from Equation 22. |\n\n\n59 Proportion of biomass killed\n\n (1) The proportion of biomass killed in each disturbed area in each stratum in each reporting period () must be determined in accordance with this section.\n\n (2) If the probable limits of error () at the P=0.05 level of significance are:\n\n (a) equal to or less than 10%—the proportion of biomass killed is the average proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum  in reporting period —from Equation 21;\n\n (b) between 10% and 50%—the proportion trees of killed is the conservative estimate of the proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum  in reporting period —from Equation 24;\n\n (c) equal to or greater than 50%—either:\n\n (i) the sampling process must be continued with an additional grid; or\n\n (ii) the proportion of biomass killed is 100%.\n\n60 Notional area of biomass killed in land parcel\n\n For each land parcel in a stratum affected by a natural disturbance, the extent, in hectares, of the notional area of biomass killed by a natural disturbance must be calculated using the following equation: \n\n|  | Equation 25 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the area, in hectares, of land in land parcel affected by natural disturbance  in reporting period  |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the area, in hectares, of land parcel—provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n|  = | the area, in hectares, of stratum —provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3. |\n|  | the area, in hectares, of land in stratum affected by natural disturbance —from paragraph 51(2)(b). |\n| = | the proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area  in stratum in reporting period —from section 59. |\n\n\n61 Carbon stock in debris pool following natural disturbance\n\n For each land parcel in a stratum affected by a natural disturbance, the carbon stock, in tonnes C, in the debris pool following the natural disturbance must be calculated:\n\n (a) if the natural disturbance was a fire—using Equation 26A; or\n\n (b) if the natural disturbance was not a fire—using Equation 26B.\n\n|
| Equation 26A |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in the debris pool following a natural disturbance in land parcel  in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the mean carbon stock of extracted timber, in tonnes C per hectare, in land parcel —from Equation 7. |\n\n\n \n\n|
 |
Equation 26B
|\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in the debris pool following a natural disturbance in land parcel  in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the mean carbon stock of harvested biomass, in tonnes C per hectare, for species  in land parcel —from Equation 14. |\n|  | the annualised growth rate after harvest, in tonnes C per hectare per year, for land parcel —from Equation 18. |\n|  = | years between start of crediting period and start of reporting period  in which natural disturbance occurred. |\n\n\n62 Carbon dioxide emissions\n\nNote If a natural disturbance occurs, carbon dioxide emissions from the resulting debris pool are subtracted from the net abatement amount in every reporting period for the rest of the crediting period, not only in the reporting period in which the natural disturbance occurs. See Equation 28.\n\n (1) The annualised carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes of CO2-e per year, for each land parcel must be calculated using the following formula: \n\n|  | Equation 27 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the annualised carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes CO2-e per hectare per year, due to natural disturbance in land parcel  in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in the debris pool following a natural disturbance in land parcel —from Equation 26A or 26B. |\n|  | 0.1 being the debris decay factor. |\n|  = | years between start of reporting period in which natural disturbance occurred in land parcel  and the end of the crediting period. |\n|  | the annualised growth rate after harvest, in tonnes C per hectare per year, for land parcel —from Equation 18. |\n\n\nNote The factor  represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.\n\n (2) For each reporting period, the annualised carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes CO2-e per year, from all natural disturbances in the reporting period must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
 |
Equation 28
|\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the annualised carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes CO2-e per year, in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the annualised carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes CO2-e per hectare per year, due to natural disturbance in land parcel p in reporting period r—from Equation 27. |\n| = | the area, in hectares, of land in land parcel affected by natural disturbance  in reporting period —from Equation 25. |\n\n\n (3) The annualised carbon dioxide emissions from natural disturbances in all reporting periods must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
 |
Equation 29
|\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the annualised carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes CO2-e per year, from natural disturbances in all reporting periods. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the annualised carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes CO2-e per year, in reporting period r—from Equation 28. |\n\n\n (4) For each reporting period, the total carbon dioxide emissions from all natural disturbances must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
 |
Equation 30
|\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the total carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, from all natural disturbances in reporting period r. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the annualised carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes CO2-e per year, for all reporting periods—from Equation 29. |\n|  | the number of years in reporting period. |\n\n\n63 Emissions from carbon stock burnt\n\nNote If a fire occurs, methane and nitrous oxide emissions from the fire are subtracted from the net abatement amount in the reporting period in which the fire occurs. See Equation 32.\n\n (1) This section applies if the natural disturbance was a fire.\n\n (2) For each land parcel in a stratum affected by a fire, the amount of carbon stock burnt must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|  | Equation 31
|\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | aboveground biomass stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in the project scenario assumed to be combusted during a fire event for parcel , in current reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the carbon stock of logging slash, in tonnes C per hectare, remaining as debris at the end of the crediting period for all species in land parcel —from Equation 6. |\n|  | 0.1 being the debris decay factor. |\n| = | the number of years between the harvest in land parcel and the end of the crediting period. |\n|  | the annualised growth rate after harvest, in tonnes C per hectare per year, for land parcel —from Equation 18. |\n|  = | years between start of crediting period and start of reporting period  in which natural disturbance in land parcel occurred. |\n\n\n (3) Emissions of methane from the burnt carbon stock must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 32 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | emissions from methane (CH4), in tonnes CO2-e per hectare, due to fire in land parcel  in reporting period. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | aboveground biomass stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in the project scenario but absent in the baseline assumed to be combusted during a fire event for land parcel in reporting period —from Equation 31. |\n|  | the burning efficiency for wildfires in the National Inventory Report. |\n|  | emissions factor for methane, in tonnes of CH4 per tonne of element in fuel burnt, from forest biomass burning in the National Inventory Report. |\n|  | elemental to molecular mass conversion factor for methane in the National Inventory Report. |\n| 
| global warming potential of methane as specified in the NGER Regulations. |\n\n\n (4) Emissions of nitrous oxide from the burnt carbon stock must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 33 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | emissions from nitrous oxide (N2O), in tonnes CO2-e per hectare, due to fire in land parcel  in reporting period. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | aboveground biomass stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in the project scenario but absent in the baseline assumed to be combusted during a fire event for land parcel , in current reporting period —from Equation 31. |\n|  | the burning efficiency for wildfires in the National Inventory Report. |\n|  | emission factor for nitrous oxide, in tonnes of N2O per tonne of element in fuel burnt, from forest biomass burning in the National Inventory Report. |\n|  | elemental to molecular mass conversion factor for nitrous oxide in the National Inventory Report. |\n| = | global warming potential of nitrous oxide as specified in the NGER Regulations. |\n|  = | nitrogen to carbon mass ratio in the National Inventory Report. |\n\n\nNote The values in the right hand column of Table D, which correspond to the parameters in the left hand column, are from section 7.14 in Volume 2 of the National Inventory Report 2012. Table D is for information only, as the values may be updated in subsequent National Inventory Reports.\n\nTable D\n\n| Parameter | Value |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | 0.72 |\n|  | 0.0054 |\n|  | 1.33 |\n|  | 0.0077 |\n|  | 1.57 |\n|  | 0.011 |\n\n\n \n\n (5) The total emissions from the carbon stock burnt in the reporting period in which the fire occurred must be calculated using the following equation: \n\n|  | Equation 34 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n| = | the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, resulting from fire in reporting period. |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the emissions from methane (CH4), in tonnes CO2-e per hectare, due to fire in land parcel  in reporting period —from Equation 32. |\n|  | the emissions from nitrous oxide (N2O), in tonnes CO2-e per hectare, due to fire in land parcel  in reporting period —from Equation 33. |\n|  | aboveground biomass stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in the project scenario but absent in the baseline assumed to be combusted during a fire event for land parcel , in current reporting period . |\n|  | the area, in hectares, of land parcel affected by natural disturbance  in reporting period —from Equation 25. |\n\n\nNote The factor  represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.\n\n64 Net project emissions\n\n For each reporting period, net emissions in the project scenario must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 35 |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, in the project scenario in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n| = | (a) the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, resulting from fire in reporting period—from Equation 34 if section 63 applies; or
(b) otherwise—zero. |\n|  | the total carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, in reporting period —from Equation 30. |\n|  | the carbon stock increases since harvest, in tonnes CO2-e, in the project scenario in reporting period —from Equation 19. |\n\n\nSubdivision 4—Carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount\n\n65 Carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount\n\n (1) If:\n\n (a) the reporting period is the first reporting period; or\n\n (b) the net abatement amount for the previous reporting period was zero or greater than zero;\n\n the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount for the project in relation to a reporting period must be calculated using the following equation:\n\n|
| Equation 36A |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount, in tonnes CO2-e, in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, in the baseline scenario in reporting period —from Equation 17 or 17A. |\n|  | the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, in the project scenario in reporting period —from Equation 35. |\n|  | 0.1, being the leakage factor. |\n\n\n \n\n (2) If the net abatement amount for the previous reporting period was less than zero, the net abatement amount must be calculated using the following formula:\n\n|
| Equation 36B |\n| --- | --- |\n\n\n Where:\n\n|  | the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount, in tonnes CO2-e, in reporting period . |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, in the baseline scenario in reporting period —from Equation 17 or 17A. |\n|  | the net greenhouse gas emissions, in tonnes CO2-e, in the project scenario in reporting period —from Equation 35. |\n|  | 0.1, being the leakage factor. |\n|  | the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount, in tonnes CO2-e, in the previous reporting period —from previous offsets report. |\n\n\n \n\n \n\nPart 5—Reporting, record keeping and monitoring requirements\n\nDivision 1—General \n\n66 Application\n\n For subsection 106(3) of the Act, a project proponent of designated Verified Carbon Standard project that is an eligible offsets project is subject to the monitoring and record-keeping requirements in this Part.\n\nDivision 2—Monitoring requirements\n\n67 Project monitoring\n\n The project proponent must take reasonable steps to monitor the project area for natural disturbances.\n\nNote 1 ‘Natural disturbance’ is defined in section 5 of the Act.\n\nNote 2 If a natural disturbance occurs in the project area, section 81 of the Act and subregulation 6.10(1) of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Regulations 2011 apply.\n\nDivision 3—Record-keeping requirements \n\n68 Records that must be created and kept\n\n The project proponent must create and keep records of the data used for and the result of every calculation completed in accordance with Part 4. \n\nNote Other record-keeping requirements are prescribed in the legislative rules.\n\nDivision 4—Offsets report requirements\n\n69 Determination of certain factors and parameters\n\n If, in the circumstances described in paragraph 19(2)(b), a factor or parameter is defined or calculated for a reporting period by reference to an instrument or writing as in force from time to time, the offsets report about the project for the reporting period must include the following information for the factor or parameter:\n\n (a) the versions of the instrument or writing used;\n\n (b) the start and end dates of each use;\n\n (c) the reasons why it was not possible to define or calculate the factor or parameter by reference to the instrument or writing as in force at the end of the reporting period.\n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-realtime","completionTokens":2312},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":9,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation maintains a narrow, specific scope focused on transitioning existing Verified Carbon Standard forest conservation projects to the Australian Carbon Credits system. It operates strictly under the transitional provisions of the Carbon Farming Initiative Amendment Act 2014 and does not expand beyond its original purpose of accommodating pre-registered international projects."},"complexity_factors":["36 distinct mathematical equations with extensive cross-referencing of variables between baseline and project scenarios","Mandatory statistical sampling protocols using Student t-tests, confidence intervals (P=0.05), and randomised grid overlays for natural disturbance assessment","Multi-layered spatial stratification system requiring precise mapping of strata, land parcels, and sample plots with orthogonal area calculations","Complex baseline calculations accounting for harvested wood product decay curves, logging slash decomposition, and forest regrowth carbon accumulation over multi-year crediting periods","External parameter referencing to the National Inventory Report and NGER Measurement Determination, with versioning requirements","Conditional logic pathways for different natural disturbances (fire vs. non-fire) requiring separate emission calculations for methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide","Conservative estimation requirements and 10% leakage factors creating nested conditional calculations","17 defined terms including specific biological and statistical concepts (merchantable volume, biomass conversion factors, canopy decline thresholds)"],"plain_english_summary":"Projects originally registered under the Verified Carbon Standard (before 18 June 2014) that protect forests from planned logging can earn Australian Emissions Reduction Fund credits under a specified method. It sets how to quantify carbon saved by preventing harvest, accounts for leakage and natural disturbances, and requires strict measurement, sampling, and record-keeping.\n\nThis enables credible international forest-conservation projects to enter Australia’s market while avoiding double counting and ensuring taxpayers pay only for rigorously verified protection."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":9,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument narrows scope by applying only to sequestration offsets projects that are 'designated Verified Carbon Standard projects'—specifically VCS projects registered before 18 June 2014 (see section 6(1)(c)). It also adjusts baseline accounting to account for prior Verified Carbon Units and sets project commencement rules tied to VCU issuance (see sections 13, 20 and 44–45)."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive multi-step numerical formulas across Subdivisions 2–5 for calculating merchantable volume, extracted carbon, logging slash, harvested wood products, regrowth and net emissions (see sections 22–44, 48–49, 64–65).","Conditional branches for prior verified units and project commencement that alter baseline accounting (sections 13, 20, 44–45).","Integration of external data and standards (National Inventory Report, NGER Measurement Determination, NGER Regulations) for emission factors and burning efficiencies (sections 19, 63).","Spatial-data and sampling requirements including strata, land parcels, sample plots and grid overlay design (sections 9, 52–53).","Statistical sampling and precision rules (Student t‑test, margin of error, probable limits of error) to estimate biomass loss after natural disturbances (sections 5 definition, 56–59).","Natural-disturbance workflows that include detection, remote sensing criteria, sampling, debris pool modelling and multi-period emissions accounting (sections 50–63).","Two alternative harvested wood product accounting methods (decay factor and maximum loss) with conservative-selection rules (sections 32–36).","Hard constraints on baseline harvest scheduling and permitted activities (no re-harvest, no conversion, no harvest after 2028; sections 14–16, 17).","Monitoring, record-keeping and reporting obligations tied to calculations, evidence and Validation/Verification reports (sections 8–13, 66–69)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Determination provides the exact method for converting certain Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) forest projects into eligible Australian Carbon Farming Initiative sequestration offsets projects. It sets eligibility (VCS registration before 18 June 2014), required Validation/Verification evidence, spatial and species data, and prescribes detailed equations for baseline emissions, project emissions, natural‑disturbance adjustments, and net abatement.\n\nProject proponents bear compliance costs and decide sampling, grid and parameter choices that determine reported credits; the Regulator reviews evidence and issued VCUs affect project commencement and baseline calculations."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/carbon-credits-carbon-farming-initiative-designated-verified-carbon-standard-projects-methodology-de","history":"/api/acts/carbon-credits-carbon-farming-initiative-designated-verified-carbon-standard-projects-methodology-de/history","analysis":"/api/acts/carbon-credits-carbon-farming-initiative-designated-verified-carbon-standard-projects-methodology-de/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/carbon-credits-carbon-farming-initiative-designated-verified-carbon-standard-projects-methodology-de/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/carbon-credits-carbon-farming-initiative-designated-verified-carbon-standard-projects-methodology-de/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/carbon-credits-carbon-farming-initiative-designated-verified-carbon-standard-projects-methodology-de/documents"}}