Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects) Methodology Determination 2015

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View image in the official source

 

 

 

Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects) Methodology Determination 2015

I, Greg Hunt, Minister for the Environment, make the following determination.

Dated 17:3:2015  

Greg Hunt

Greg Hunt

Minister for the Environment

 

 

Contents

—Preliminary

Name

Commencement

Authority

Duration

Definitions

—Designated Verified Carbon Standard projects

Designated Verified Carbon Standard projects

—Project requirements

—General requirements

Operation of this Part

—Information provided to Regulator

Information supported by evidence

Spatial information

Tree species information

Baseline harvest information

Project scenario information

—Other requirements

Verified Carbon Units

No re-harvest events

No land conversion events

No harvest events after 2028

Removal of biomass and thinning

—Net abatement amount

—Operation of this Part

Operation of this Part

References to factors and parameters from external sources

—Project commencement

Project commencement

—Calculating net baseline emissions

—General

General

—Carbon stock extracted from project area

General

Mean merchantable volume of each species in each stratum

Mean merchantable volume in each land parcel

Mean volume of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel

Mean carbon stock of harvested biomass for each species in each land parcel

Biomass conversion factor

Mean carbon stock of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel

Carbon stock of logging slash in each land parcel

Carbon stock of extracted timber from each land parcel

Carbon stock for each harvested wood product in each land parcel

—Carbon stock in existence in harvested wood products at end of crediting period

General

Carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—decay factor method

Carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—maximum loss method

Calculating carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—conservative estimate

Carbon stock in existence in harvested wood products at end of crediting period

—Carbon stock in forest regrowth after harvest

General

Carbon stock in regrowth each land parcel

Carbon stock in regrowth in all land parcels

Carbon stock of harvested biomass for all species in each land parcel

Loss from logging slash and harvested wood product decay over the crediting period

—Net baseline emissions

General

Net carbon stock change—all land parcels

Net baseline emissions—all land parcels

Emissions before project commencement

—Calculating net project emissions

—General

General

—Net sequestration

General

Average growth rate in land parcel

Carbon stock increases due to growth in project scenario

—Natural disturbances

General

Detection of natural disturbances

Establishing a grid overlay

Sample plots

Calculating biomass proportion

Calculating average tree proportion

Calculating margin of error for tree proportion

Calculating probable limits of error for tree proportion

Calculating conservative estimate of tree proportion

Proportion of biomass killed

Notional area of biomass killed in land parcel

Carbon stock in debris pool following natural disturbance

Carbon dioxide emissions

Emissions from carbon stock burnt

Net project emissions

—Carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount

Carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount

—Reporting, record keeping and monitoring requirements

—General

Application

—Monitoring requirements

Project monitoring

—Record-keeping requirements

Records that must be created and kept

—Offsets report requirements

Determination of certain factors and parameters

Part 1—Preliminary

1  Name

  This is the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects) Methodology Determination 2015.

2  Commencement

  This determination is taken to have come into force on 1 January 2013.

3  Authority

  This determination is made under subsection 106(1) of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011.

4  Duration

  This determination remains in force for the period that:

 (a) begins when this instrument commences; and

 (b) ends on the day before this instrument would otherwise be repealed under subsection 50(1) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.

5  Definitions

  In this determination:

Act means the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011.

baseline (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.

biomass means vegetation-derived organic matter.

carbon stock means an amount of carbon.

C means carbon.

CO2‑e means carbon dioxide equivalent.

debris means above-ground dead plant material.

designated Verified Carbon Standard project—see section 6.

forest means land of a minimum area of 0.2 of a hectare on which trees:

 (a) have attained, or have the potential to attain, a crown cover of at least 20% across the area of land; and

 (b) have reached, or have the potential to reach, a height of at least 2 metres.

harvest date means the calendar year in which a land parcel would be harvested if the project were not carried out.

harvested wood product means pulpwood or sawlog.

land 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.

Note 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.

logging slash means debris from a harvest event remaining in a land parcel.

merchantable volume means the maximum amount of timber that could be extracted for sale.

National Inventory Report means the most recently published document that is:

 (a) known as the National Inventory Report; and

 (b) prepared by the Department in fulfilment of obligations that Australia has under the Climate Change Convention.             

NGER Measurement Determination means the applicable determination made under subsection 10(3) of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007.

NGER Regulations means the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Regulations 2008.

project scenario (PRJ) means the avoidance of all harvest events in all land parcels in the crediting period.

stratum means an area of land in the project area.

Student t-test means a statistical hypothesis test in which the test statistic follows a Student's t distribution if the null hypothesis is supported.

Validation Report means an independent report of that name assessing a Verified Carbon Standard project against a Verified Carbon Standard methodology.

Verification Report means an independent report of that name assessing a Verified Carbon Standard project’s actual emission reductions against a Verified Carbon Standard methodology.

Verified Carbon Standard means the independent, non-profit organisation generally known as the ‘Verified Carbon Standard’.

Verified Carbon Standard modelling period means the period over which the project’s carbon stocks were modelled when it was a Verified Carbon Standard project.

Verified Carbon Standard project means a project approved, or previously approved, by the Verified Carbon Standard.

Verified Carbon Standard project start date means the day on which a Verified Carbon Standard project started.

Verified Carbon Unit means a unit issued by the Verified Carbon Standard to Verified Carbon standard projects.

Note Other words and expressions used in this determination have the meaning given by the Act. These include:

crediting period

eligible carbon abatement

eligible offsets project

emission

greenhouse gas

natural disturbance

offsets project

offsets report

project

project area

project proponent

Regulator

reporting period

sequestration offsets project.

Part 2—Designated Verified Carbon Standard projects

6  Designated Verified Carbon Standard projects

 (1) For paragraph 106(1)(a) of the Act, this determination applies to a sequestration offsets project that:

 (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

 (b) results in eligible carbon abatement; and

 (c) was registered under the Verified Carbon Standard before 18 June 2014.

 (2) A project covered by subsection (1) is a designated Verified Carbon Standard project.

Part 3—Project requirements

Division 1—General requirements

7  Operation of this Part

  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.

 

Division 2—Information provided to Regulator 

8  Information supported by evidence

 (1) The information provided to the Regulator in accordance with this Division must be supported by evidence.

 (2) The evidence may comprise maps, spreadsheets or other documents.

 (3) The evidence must be contained or referenced in:

 (a) the Validation Report for the project; or

 (b) a Verification Report for the project.

9  Spatial information

  The project proponent must provide the Regulator with the following spatial information:

 (a) the location of each stratum in the project area;  

 (b) the area, in hectares, of each stratum;

 (c) the location of each sample plot in each stratum;

 (d) the stratum each land parcel is in;

 (e) the area in hectares of each land parcel. 

10  Tree species information

  The project proponent must provide the Regulator with the following information for each tree species harvested in the baseline:

 (a) the basic wood density, in tonnes of dry matter per cubic metre, of each species in the project area; and

 (b) the merchantable volume, in cubic metres, of each tree species in each sample plot in each stratum.

11  Baseline harvest information

  The project proponent must provide the Regulator with the following baseline harvest information:

 (a) the year in which each land parcel would be harvested if the project were not carried out;

 (b) the proportion of each harvested wood product extracted from each land parcel;

 (c) the proportion of biomass extracted from each land parcel;

 (d) the projected growth, in cubic metres per hectare, in each land parcel before the harvest in the land parcel;

 (e) the annual average rate of carbon stock increase, in tonnes C per hectare per year, in each land parcel.

12  Project scenario information

  The project proponent must provide the Regulator with the following project scenario information:

 (a) the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in each land parcel at the end of the Verified Carbon Standard modelling period;

 (b) the carbon stock, in tonnes C per hectare, in each land parcel at the harvest date.

Division 3—Other requirements 

13  Verified Carbon Units

  The project proponent must provide the Regulator with evidence of:

 (a) the most recent day in respect of which Verified Carbon Units were issued for the project; and             

Note 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.

 (b) the number of Verified Carbon Units issued for the project; and

 (c) the Verified Carbon Standard project start date; and

 (d) the Verified Carbon Standard modelling period.

14  No re-harvest events

  In the baseline, a land parcel may only be scheduled to be harvested in one year in the crediting period.

Note 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.

15  No land conversion events

  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.

Note For example, a land parcel cannot be scheduled to be harvested and converted to grazing land.

16  No harvest events after 2028

  In the baseline, a land parcel must not be scheduled to be harvested after 31 December 2028.

17  Removal of biomass and thinning

 (1) Live trees and other live biomass must not be removed from the project area.

 (2) Dead wood may be removed from the project area.

 (3) Thinning is not permitted in the project area.

Part 4—Net abatement amount

Division 1—Operation of this Part

18  Operation of this Part

  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.

19  References to factors and parameters from external sources

 (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.

 (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if:

 (a) the determination specifies otherwise; or

 (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.

Division 2—Project commencement

20 Project commencement

 (1) The project proponent must determine the day on which the project commences in accordance with this section.

 (2) The project commences on the later of:

 (a) January 2013; or

 (b) the day after the most recent day in respect of which Verified Carbon Units were issued for the project.

Note 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.

Division 3—Calculating net baseline emissions

Subdivision 1—General

21  General

 (1) The project proponent must calculate the project’s net baseline emissions by completing the equations in this Division.

 (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.

Note 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).

Table A

Subdivision 2—Carbon stock extracted from project area

22  General

 (1) The carbon stock extracted from the project area in the baseline is calculated in accordance with this Subdivision.

 (2) Unless otherwise specified, for the purposes of this Part, projected growth in a land parcel is taken to be a species (View image in the official source).               

23  Mean merchantable volume of each species in each stratum

 (1) The mean merchantable volume of each species in each stratum must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where: 

 (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to projected growth.

24  Mean merchantable volume in each land parcel

 (1) The mean merchantable volume of each species in each land parcel must be calculated:

 (a) if the mean merchantable volume of the species in a stratum was calculated using Equation 1—using Equation 2A; or

 (b) if projected growth was provided to the Regulator in accordance with Part 3—using Equation 2B.

  Where:   

 

  Where:

 (2) The mean merchantable volume of all species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

25  Mean volume of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel

  The mean volume of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

26  Mean carbon stock of harvested biomass for each species in each land parcel

  The mean carbon stock of harvested biomass for each species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

27  Biomass conversion factor

  The biomass conversion factor for each species in each land parcel is given in the following table:

  Table B

28  Mean carbon stock of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel

  The mean carbon stock of extracted timber for each species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

Note Projected growth in a land parcel is taken to be a species in this Part. See subsection 22(2).

29  Carbon stock of logging slash in each land parcel

  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:

  Where:

30  Carbon stock of extracted timber from each land parcel

  The carbon stock of extracted timber from each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

31  Carbon stock for each harvested wood product in each land parcel

  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:

  Where:

Subdivision 3—Carbon stock in existence in harvested wood products at end of crediting period

32  General

 (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.             

 (2) The project proponent must use the values in Table C in Equations 9 and 10 in this Subdivision.

Table C

33  Carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—decay factor method

  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:

  Where:

34  Carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—maximum loss method

  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:

  Where:

35  Calculating carbon stock in harvested wood products in existence at end of crediting period—conservative estimate

 (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.

Note 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.

 (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 (View image in the official source) is the value calculated using Equation 9 (View image in the official source).

 (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 (View image in the official source) is the value calculated using Equation 10 (View image in the official source).

36  Carbon stock in existence in harvested wood products at end of crediting period

  The carbon stock in existence in all harvested wood products at the end of the crediting period must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

Subdivision 4—Carbon stock in forest regrowth after harvest

37  General

  The carbon stock in forest regrowth after harvests in the baseline is calculated in accordance with this Subdivision.

38  Carbon stock in regrowth each land parcel

  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:

  Where:

39  Carbon stock in regrowth in all land parcels

  The carbon stock in regrowth, in tonnes C, in all land parcels must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

40  Carbon stock of harvested biomass for all species in each land parcel

  The mean carbon stock of harvested biomass for all species in each land parcel must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

41  Loss from logging slash and harvested wood product decay over the crediting period

  The loss of carbon stock, in tonnes C, from all land parcels over the crediting period must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

Subdivision 5—Net baseline emissions

42  General

  Net baseline emissions are calculated in accordance with this Subdivision.

43  Net carbon stock change—all land parcels

  The net carbon stock change in all land parcels over the crediting period must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

44  Net baseline emissions—all land parcels

  For each reporting period, net baseline emissions must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

 Note The factor View image in the official source represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.

 Note View image in the official source is equivalent to an amount in tonnes CO2-e

45  Emissions before project commencement

 (1) This section applies if there is a land parcel in the project area with a harvest date earlier than project commencement.

 (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 (View image in the official source) by completing every relevant equation in this Part for those land parcels.

 (3) For the purposes of subsection (2):

 (a) where an equation contains the subscript View image in the official source, the project proponent must substitute View image in the official source for View image in the official source, where View image in the official source is the period between the Verified Carbon Standard project start date and project commencement; and

 (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

 (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

 (d) the project proponent must not complete Equation 17; and 

 (e) instead of completing Equation 17, the project proponent must complete the following equation:

  Where:

Note The factor View image in the official source represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.

 (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 View image in the official source is zero.

Division 4—Calculating net project emissions

Subdivision 1—General

46  General

  The project proponent must calculate the project’s net emissions in the project scenario by completing the equations in this Division.             

Subdivision 2—Net sequestration

47  General

  Carbon stock increases in the project scenario are calculated in accordance with this Subdivision.

48  Average growth rate in land parcel

  For each land parcel, the annualised growth rate after harvest must be calculated using the following equation:

 

  Where:

49  Carbon stock increases due to growth in project scenario

  For each reporting period, carbon stock increases in the project area in the project scenario must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

Note The factor  View image in the official source represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.

Subdivision 3—Natural disturbances

50  General

 (1) Emissions from biomass killed by natural disturbances in the project area are calculated in accordance with this Subdivision.             

 (2) The project proponent must calculate the emissions from biomass killed in the natural disturbance before submitting the next offsets report.             

51  Detection of natural disturbances 

 (1) This section applies if:

 (a) a natural disturbance has been detected; and

 (b) the natural disturbance has, or is likely to have, killed trees in more than 5% of the project area.

 (2) The project proponent must:

 (a) identify the natural disturbance on a map; and

 (b) calculate the area, in hectares, of land in each stratum that has been affected by the natural disturbance.

 (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.

 (4) For subsection (3):

 (a) the assessment must be based on remotely-sensed image of the affected area from:

 (i) no earlier than 6 months before the natural disturbance; and

 (ii) no later than 6 months after the natural disturbance; and

 (b) the resolution  of the images must be at least 30m × 30m. 

 (5) The proportion of biomass killed by the natural disturbance is:

 (a) if there has been no canopy decline—zero;

 (b) if there has been canopy decline:

 (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

 (ii) otherwise—100%.

 (6) In this section:

  canopy decline means a loss of an area of canopy cover equivalent to at least 5% of the project area.

52  Establishing a grid overlay

 (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)).

 (2) A grid overlay over the affected area must be established in accordance with this section.

 (3) The grid must consist of square cells.

 (4) There must be at least 5 grid intersects within each affected area in each stratum.

 (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.

 (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.

 (7) The orientation of the grid must be determined by randomly selecting an angle between zero and 89 degrees.

 (8) Each grid intersect must be assigned a unique identifier.

53  Sample plots

 (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)).

 (2) Sample plots must be located at each grid intersect established in accordance with section 52.

 (3) Plots must have:

 (a) a fixed orthogonal area; and

 (b) a minimum size of 0.01ha.

 (4) All plots in the affected area must have the same shape.

 (5) The plots must be either circular or rectangular.

 (6) If the plots are circular, they must be established so that:

 (a) the centre of the plot is the actual plot location; and

 (b) the boundary of the plot is defined by the circumference.

 (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.

 (8) In this section:

relative position means the most north-westerly, north-easterly, south-easterly or south-westerly corner of a rectangular plot.

  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.

54  Calculating biomass proportion

 (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)).

 (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:

 (a) no earlier than 6 months after the detection of the natural disturbance; and

 (b) not before it is safe to enter the area affected by the natural disturbance.

 (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.

Note 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.

 (4) The basal area of each measured tree must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

 

 (5) The proportion of biomass killed within each sample plot must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

 

 (6) In this section, class means a group of trees sharing a common characteristic such as species or stem diameter.

55  Calculating average tree proportion

  The average proportion of biomass killed must be calculated for each stratum using the following equation:

  Where:

56  Calculating margin of error for tree proportion

  The margin of error for the proportion of biomass killed must be calculated for each stratum using the following equation:

  Where:

57  Calculating probable limits of error for tree proportion

  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:

  Where:

Note The factor of 100 converts View image in the official source into a percentage.

58  Calculating conservative estimate of tree proportion

  The conservative estimate of the proportion of biomass killed in each stratum must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

59  Proportion of biomass killed

 (1) The proportion of biomass killed in each disturbed area in each stratum in each reporting period (View image in the official source) must be determined in accordance with this section.

 (2) If the probable limits of error (View image in the official source) at the P=0.05 level of significance are:

 (a) equal to or less than 10%—the proportion of biomass killed is the average proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area View image in the official source in stratum View image in the official source in reporting period View image in the official source—from Equation 21;

 (b) between 10% and 50%—the proportion trees of killed is the conservative estimate of the proportion of biomass killed in disturbed area View image in the official source in stratum View image in the official source in reporting period View image in the official source—from Equation 24;

 (c) equal to or greater than 50%—either:

 (i) the sampling process must be continued with an additional grid; or

 (ii) the proportion of biomass killed is 100%.

60  Notional area of biomass killed in land parcel

  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:             

  Where:

61  Carbon stock in debris pool following natural disturbance

  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:

 (a) if the natural disturbance was a fire—using Equation 26A; or

 (b) if the natural disturbance was not a fire—using Equation 26B.

  Where:

 

  Where:

62  Carbon dioxide emissions

Note 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.

 (1) The annualised carbon dioxide emissions, in tonnes of CO2-e per year, for each land parcel must be calculated using the following formula:             

  Where:View image in the official source

Note The factor  View image in the official source represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.

 (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:

  Where:

 (3) The annualised carbon dioxide emissions from natural disturbances in all reporting periods must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

 (4) For each reporting period, the total carbon dioxide emissions from all natural disturbances must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

63  Emissions from carbon stock burnt

Note 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.

 (1) This section applies if the natural disturbance was a fire.

 (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:

  Where:

 (3) Emissions of methane from the burnt carbon stock must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:View image in the official source

 (4) Emissions of nitrous oxide from the burnt carbon stock must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:View image in the official source

Note 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.

Table D

 

 (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:             

  Where:View image in the official source

Note The factor View image in the official source represents the ratio of molecular weights of carbon dioxide to carbon.

64  Net project emissions

  For each reporting period, net emissions in the project scenario must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

Subdivision 4—Carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount

65  Carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount

 (1) If:

 (a) the reporting period is the first reporting period; or

 (b) the net abatement amount for the previous reporting period was zero or greater than zero;

  the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount for the project in relation to a reporting period must be calculated using the following equation:

  Where:

 

 (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:

  Where:

 

 

Part 5—Reporting, record keeping and monitoring requirements

Division 1—General 

66  Application

  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.

Division 2—Monitoring requirements

67  Project monitoring

  The project proponent must take reasonable steps to monitor the project area for natural disturbances.

Note 1 ‘Natural disturbance’ is defined in section 5 of the Act.

Note 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.

Division 3—Record-keeping requirements  

68  Records that must be created and kept

  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.             

Note Other record-keeping requirements are prescribed in the legislative rules.

Division 4—Offsets report requirements

69  Determination of certain factors and parameters

  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:

 (a) the versions of the instrument or writing used;

 (b) the start and end dates of each use;

 (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.