ICIN hosts 10th Board Meeting - closing out the first full year of the Network's operation 

As 2023 races to an end, ICIN's Board met for its final time this year on Tuesday 12th December. The Board welcomed Sarah Parriman, KLC Deputy CEO to her first Board meeting. Sarah was appointed as a Director at the October AGM, replacing Tyronne Garstone (KLC CEO). The Board acknowledged that it had been an exceptionally tough and challenging year – personally and professionally for Directors and the broader community.

Popular agenda items included the program for the fast-approaching February 2024 North Australia Savanna Fire Forum and strategies for securing long-term philanthropic funding to ensure the ongoing growth, development and impact of the Indigenous Carbon Industry Network.

"I’m really looking forward to catching up in-person at the February Forum. I'm keen to be involved in the Forum and it’s been 12 months on the Board for me at ICIN, I’m looking forward to continuing to work to strengthen the Indigenous carbon industry in many different ways," said ICIN Director Teddy Bernard, Councillor, Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council. 

We thank ICIN's 100% Aboriginal Board of Directors for their time, effort and invaluable leadership throughout this busy and tumultuous year and look forward to finalising our 2024 work program at the next Board meeting. For ICIN's full list of achievements over the previous year, view our Annual Report. 

Just launched - the draft program is now live for the North Australia Savanna Fire Forum

The 2024 Forum program includes three jam-packed days of knowledge sharing and learning within the Indigenous fire management and carbon industry, based on Traditional Owner knowledge and culture, latest science, modern technology solutions and policy developments.

The Forum program showcases the work of fire managers across the savanna, sessions include: 

• FIRE MANAGERS REPORT BACK, Kimberley, with presentations from Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation, Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation, Kimberley Land Council (KLC), Bush Heritage Australia, Wunambal Gaambera and the Dampier Peninsular Working Group
• FIRE MANAGERS REPORT BACK, Top End, with presentations from the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC), Arnhem Land Fire Abatement (ALFA) NT, North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA), Thamarrurr Rangers, Jawoyn Rangers, Northern Land Council (NLC) and Mimal Rangers
• FIRE MANAGERS REPORT BACK, Cape York, with presentations from APN Cape York, Olkola Aboriginal Corporation, Gondwana Carbon and Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council Rangers

Secure your ticket today! In 2023, the Forum was sold out, with 300 fire managers, Indigenous land managers, carbon industry practitioners, scientists and policy makers in attendance. Tickets are selling fast. Don't miss out. 

We are pleased to announce three new sponsors for this landmark event:

• The Government of Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction has joined as a gold sponsor
• Maki Planet Systems has come on board as a silver sponsor
• NT Heli-Ops is supporting our Forum as a bronze sponsor

We thank our valued sponsors, see below the full list, for supporting ICIN to host this important event. Limited sponsorship opportunities are still available, please view our prospectus for further information.  

ICIN Director Suzanne Thompson at the Climate Ready Australia National Summit

Late last month, ICIN Board Director Suzanne Thompson spoke in the panel 'Integrity matters: net zero and nature-positive accounting and markets' with Terri Butler, Andrew Macintosh and Christian Nielsen at Griffith University's Climate Ready Australia National Summit.

Suzanne emphasised the importance of listening to First Peoples caring for Country knowledge, which has been handed down from generation to generation. She stressed the urgency for global First Peoples knowledge and lived experience to be at the forefront of climate conversations, strategies, and actions locally, nationally and globally.

“We are the knowledge holders of a people that survived droughts, two ice ages, we must have done something right, and we wait patiently. All we want to do is share, to teach everyone to understand the intricate knowledge of bioregions, of bird migratory patterns, of moments that defined and told us about our song lines and our moieties,” said Suzanne Thompson, Yumbangku Aboriginal Culture Heritage & Tourism Development Aboriginal Corporation (YACHATDAC).

ICIN is a member of the Climate Ready Initiative - a partnership-based social impact initiative that works with society to help shape a prosperous and just future for all.

ICIN Co-Chair Cissy Gore-Birch returns from COP28 and will share her experiences at the Forum

ICIN Co-Chair Cissy Gore-Birch has returned from COP28, marking ICIN's first-ever representation at the global climate conference. In Dubai, through formal presentations, launch events and informal discussions Cissy strengthened relationships with fellow First Nations agencies engaged in Indigenous empowerment and climate action.

On day Two of the upcoming ICIN Savanna Fire Forum, Cissy and fellow experts will share their experiences from Dubai in the Panel: Perspectives from COP28. Don’t miss this chance to hear directly from these Indigenous climate leaders.

"Our approach [savanna fire management] has been proven to reduce destructive wildfires and greenhouse gas emissions by half, providing jobs for remote communities, while at the same time reinvigorating traditional culture," said Cissy from COP28's launch of the Wildfire-Resilient Landscapes Network. 

Pictured at COP28: Left to right: Starting with Barry Hunter, second in the front row, acting CEO NAILSMA, an ICIN member and Chair Aboriginal Carbon Foundation; Rowan Foley, CEO Aboriginal Carbon Foundation; Cissy, ICIN Co-Chair; Justin Mohamed, Ambassador for First Nations People; Janine Mohamed, CEO The Lowitja Institute; Dr Leah Talbot, Research Manager NAILSMA and Lisa McMurray, Learning and Program Development Manager Aboriginal Carbon Foundation. Photo credit: Aboriginal Carbon Foundation.

Influencing policy and the development of carbon methods  

ICIN is participating in multiple initiatives aimed at ensuring our members actively contribute to policy and method development. We are engaging in consultations with our members to gather views and recommendations on the development of the Integrated Farm and Land Management (ILFM) and Savanna Fire Management (SFM) carbon methods. 

An ICIN Position Paper on the IFLM method is in preparation and will be lodged with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) prior to end of the year. An ICIN Technical Paper on Fire will be developed with members in the new year to advise and inform DCCEEW on fire across all ACCU methods.

ICIN’s blue carbon presentation was well received at the Charles Darwin University (CDU) hosted Blue Carbon Workshop in November generating discussion around opportunities, technical challenges and feasibility for Indigenous blue carbon projects. ICIN continues to work with partners and stakeholders including the Northern Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA), CDU, University Qld, The Nature Conservancy, ICIN members and others in this space. ICIN will be undertaking related blue carbon engagement activities in the new year – stay tuned for more details.

The ICIN team has prepared a brief submission on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests's (DAFF) Agriculture and Land Sector Plan and is working with our members to understand implications of the passage of the Nature Repair Bill. This will be a substantive piece of work going into 2024.

ICIN nominated to apply for Prince William's Earthshot prize

ICIN was delighted to be invited to submit an application for the 2024 Earthshot Prize. This prize is an initiative of Prince William launched in 2020 and running until 2030. Throughout this important decade of climate action, the Earthshot prize will be awarded to five winners annually, with each receiving one million pounds and professional support to scale their solution. We thank Pollination who nominated ICIN in the category: Protect and restore nature. Our application was titled: Scaling Indigenous-led climate solutions. We shall know the result mid to late next year, fingers crossed!

Carbon Farming Outreach Program update - DCCEEW announces five Grantees to deliver training 

Five applicants have been chosen to deliver training within the Carbon Farming Outreach Program (CFOP), these are:

• Aboriginal Biodiversity Conservation Foundation
• Kangaroo Island Landscape Board
• Dairy Australia
• Victorian Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action
• Grower Group Alliance 

As we have mentioned in previous updates, the University of Melbourne, with support from project partners ICIN and IPS are informing the design of the training materials for the CFOP. The CFOP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group, along with ICIN and IPS, are working together to maximise and increase First Nations participation in carbon markets through the Program by ensuring the design of these materials are informed by, presented by and relevant for First Nations people.

Last but not least, we are so happy to let you all know that Anna has safely delivered her baby boy, and named him Sunny. Both Anna and Sunny are doing well and enjoying a well-earned rest.