Ministerial keynote speech, delivered at ICIN's 2nd National Indigenous Carbon Forum (NICF), by the Hon Josh Wilson MP, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy and Assistant Minister for Emergency Management.
Excerpts from his speech:
It’s a privilege and a joy to be back here on Larrakia Country for the Savanna Fire Forum, and I thank ICIN for the opportunity to join you again, as I did last year.
The story of the Savanna Fire Management methods should be told and celebrated.
When I’m trying to help colleagues and people in the broader community understand what in many ways can be regarded as the flagship ACCU method, the points I make are:
- That cool season burning, practiced in accordance with First Nations knowledge, helps prevent large-scale fires, which reduces emissions, protects the environment, and promotes a healthier and more biodiverse landscape.
- Savanna fire projects improve fire management across 34 million hectares of Northern Australian savanna – which is an area the size of Germany.
- Nearly three-quarters of the abatement achieved under this method has occurred through projects managed by Indigenous carbon businesses.
- Indeed, since 2012, Indigenous-led projects have contributed to the abatement of around 11.1 million tonnes of emissions.
- And ICIN estimates that the Indigenous carbon industry is valued at $59 million dollars a year – sustaining the employment of hundreds of Indigenous people in some of Australia's most remote places.
I am glad that we have provided an additional $27.8 million in funding for the expanded Carbon Farming Outreach Program to support that uplift, and I’m grateful that ICIN will deliver outreach on emissions reduction and ACCU participation through that program [ICIN has received a small portion of this funding].
I have to give special thanks to ICIN for its vital contribution in organising and running workshops to reflect the primacy of First Nations perspectives on the proposed new methods.
Read full speech here.