Australia's carbon farming schemes: forests are regrowing on 94% of eligible land, independent review finds

A new independent review of Australia's human-induced regeneration carbon farming scheme finds forests are regrowing on 94% of land considered likely to regenerate. The scheme covers about 42 million hectares, with roughly one third eligible for carbon credits. Each tonne of carbon dioxide absorbed by regrowing trees earns one Australian carbon credit worth about $37.50. The review, conducted by an expert who has formally assessed nearly 100 projects since 2023, found that criticisms questioning the link between reduced grazing and forest regrowth do not hold up under scrutiny. Critics used national-scale maps that underestimate tree cover compared to local data gathered by aircraft with high-resolution scanning lasers. Only about 6% of land has been removed from the scheme due to slow or failed regeneration. Natural regeneration avoids the high costs and genetic risks of tree planting, making it viable across large semi-arid areas. While some carbon credit schemes worldwide have real problems, this assessment suggests Australia's approach is working where properly managed and independently audited.