Draft LULUCF Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plan

Consultation questions

1. What future opportunities (outlined in this draft Plan) do you think will have the most impact?
2. Are there any priorities or future opportunities missing from this draft Plan?
3. How can we collaborate to reduce emissions and build resilience in the LULUCF sector?

Key dates

Draft Plan released:                 6 September 2024

Written submissions close:    11 October 2024

How to have your say

You can make a submission by writing to us, answering the above consultation questions. You may submit your response online, or by email or post.

For more information about this work, or making a submission, please contact the Climate Change Office.

Online:  www.recfit.tas.gov.au/consultation_and_community

Email: climatechange@recfit.tas.gov.au

Post:  Climate Change Office,  Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania,  Department of State Growth,  GPO Box 536, HOBART TAS 7001

Phone: 03 6166 4466

If you are making a written submission, please include the name and contact details of the person or organisation making the submission. All submissions are welcome and valued.

Publication

Submissions will be published on the Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania (ReCFIT) website (www.recfit.tas.gov.au). Your name or the name of the organisation making the submission will be made public. Personal contact details will not be published. Please tell us if you want to keep your submission private. Defamatory or offensive material will not be published

Funding for the sectoral Plans

The feedback from consultation on all plans will help us identify the priority actions to deliver with the available funding, as well as future funding priorities to inform budget and planning processes over the five-year life of the plans.

The LULUCF Plan will build on significant recent and continued investment in the state’s LULUCF sector. In 2024, over $7 million in new funding has been committed by the Tasmanian Government to new and expanded programs to support the sector, including:

• $600,000 over two years for the Department of Natural Resources Tasmania to maintain bushfire management capacity in a changing climate
• $5 million investment in biosecurity
• increasing investment in the Strategic Industry Partnership Program to provide targeted grants to agricultural organisations, and promote collaboration and capacity building
• providing $600,000 to Private Forests Tasmania to deliver the Stems for CO2 program for grants to support more trees planted on farms, model the carbon sequestration, and communicate the benefits to other farmers of agro-forestry projects
• providing $900,000 to expand the Landcare Action Grants program.

The Tasmanian Government will also seek to maximise the opportunities for Tasmania through relevant Australian Government initiatives, including the development of national sectoral decarbonisation plans.

[1] Tasmania’s latest reported greenhouse gas emissions were released in April 2024 as part of the Australian Government’s National Greenhouse Accounts 2022 and State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories 2022. The Australian Government reporting framework is consistent with UNFCCC and Paris Agreement reporting rules. National inventory reporting runs two years behind the current date, and represents the most recent official data in Australia on annual emissions.

[2] Point Advisory and Indufor 2021, 2021 Update of Tasmania’s Emissions Pathway Review – technical report (prepared for the Tasmanian Climate Change Office) www.recfit.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/492093/Tasmanian_Emissions_Pathway_Review_-_Technical_Report.pdf

[3] IPCC 2023, Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report - Summary for Policymakers, www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/

Forestry industry

In 2021, Tasmania had over 3 million hectares (ha) of native forest and 281,000 ha of commercial hardwood (eucalypt) and softwood (radiata pine) plantations. Of the total native forest area, 1.255 million ha is in conservation and public reserves, 812,000 ha is on permanent timber production zone and other publicly managed land, and 833,000 ha is on private freehold land.

Tasmania’s forestry industry plays an important role in the state’s economy and provides direct and indirect employment in regional areas. The forestry industry has set a strategic growth objective to double the industry value-add to $1.2 billion by 2036, which has been supported by significant funding from the Tasmanian Government.

Production forests in Tasmania are managed to supply a wide range of wood products to local and overseas customers, including high and low-quality sawlogs, high grade domestic peeler logs, special species timbers, pulpwood and firewood. These forests also support other commercial activities, such as bee keeping and tourism ventures, as well as recreational activities. Speciality timbers make up a minor but important component of the native forest harvest.

Greenhouse gas emissions

According to the latest emissions data included in Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts for 2022, emissions from Tasmania’s LULUCF sector were minus 12.51 megatonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO_2‑e), which is a reduction of 211 per cent on 1990 levels. The LULUCF sector has been a net carbon sink for each year since 2012 and offsets the emissions from all other sectors.

This decrease has largely been driven by reductions in native forest harvesting on private land, lower rates of clearing and conversion of forested lands to other land uses, and increases in carbon sequestration from post-harvesting regeneration of forests, hardwood and softwood plantations, environmental plantings and regrowth of previously cleared lands.

A more detailed description of the UNFCCC reporting framework and greenhouse gas emissions for the LULUCF sector can be found in the accompanying State of Play Report.

Climate change and transition impacts

Areas of Tasmania are currently experiencing unseasonably dry conditions in 2024. Under a changing climate, events such as these are projected to become more frequent and intense. Tasmania’s land sector and the health and productivity of its forests and plantations will be impacted by longer-term physical climate-related risks such as temperature change, seasonal distribution and intensity of rainfall and the distribution of invasive species and diseases. In addition, under a future changing climate there will be increased risks from extreme events such as droughts, bushfires, heatwaves, storms and floods.

The transition to a low emissions economy will provide both opportunities and risks for Tasmania’s LULUCF sector. There is likely to be increased demand for engineered wood products as alternatives to more emissions-intensive construction materials. Tasmania’s forestry industry is well placed to supply locally-sourced wood products into the market to meet this future demand.

One of the Australian Government’s key climate change policies is the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme. Australian and international carbon markets offer the opportunity for an additional revenue stream for landowners and forest managers with eligible forest carbon abatement projects. However, these projects can also come with risks from a changing climate to maintain the estimated carbon sequestration over the life of the project.

Timeline

Early 2024 - Targeted consultation with government, business and industry. We undertook consultation with relevant government, business and industry representatives in February 2024, including two workshops and one-on-one meetings.

Mid-2024 - Public consultation on the draft plan. The feedback from consultation with government, business and industry has informed the development of this Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plan - Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry: Consultation Draft (draft Plan).

November 2024 - Development and release of the final plan. We will analyse all submissions received and undertake further targeted consultation as required to develop the final Plan. The final Plan is due to be prepared by November 2024 as required under the Act.

Key themes from consultation with government, business and industry

In early 2024 we consulted relevant government, business and industry stakeholders, including holding two workshops. Participants told us what they are doing to reduce emissions and build resilience in the LULUCF sector, the barriers and opportunities for further action, and how the government could support the sector to take action on climate change.

Key themes from consultation included:

• research, data collection and information sharing relating to emissions reductions from emerging forestry practices, and building resilience by minimising bushfire risks and impacts from heatwaves
• planting more trees on private lands and in urban environments, and quantifying the co‑benefits of agro-forestry
• reducing the conversion of forests and plantations to other land uses
• workforce capabilities and skills development in emerging silvicultural, forest health and land management practices to increase carbon sequestration and build resilience
• support on-island processing and industry participants in innovation research and pilot programs
• support industry participants and landowners to understand potential changes in demand for wood products, access to carbon, insurance and financial markets, and adoption of biofuels
• update the planning scheme to consider emissions reductions and resilience to extreme events in relation to population growth, siting of new developments and settlements, urban consolidation and vulnerable communities.

The sectors identified for the development of Plans are based on the sectors identified in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) greenhouse gas reporting framework.

The LULUCF Plan will consider emissions sources and sequestration (emissions removals or carbon sinks) of greenhouse gases from land management practices, land use conversions and forestry activities that impact the carbon stored in vegetation and soils, as well as the impact of bushfires. The main driver of change in carbon fluxes across the Tasmanian landscape and the associated emissions relates to losses and gains of woody vegetation.

The Plan for the LULUCF sector will focus on the emissions that come directly from human-induced activities, land and forest management practices, and changes of land use across the landscape. Specifically, the LULUCF sector includes emissions sources and sinks for forest land, cropland, grassland, wetland, settlements and harvested wood products.

The LULUCF sector includes greenhouse gas emissions sources and removals from:

• the harvesting and regeneration of native forests and plantations
• the clearing of forested land and subsequent conversion to other land uses
• fuelwood consumption
• the establishment of new forests or plantations on previously cleared or unforested land
• the decomposition of vegetation matter
• biomass burning, including bushfires, regeneration burns and other planned and controlled burns
• the regrowth of vegetation after disturbances (for example land clearing).

Other minor contributions to LULUCF emissions include the wetland sub-sector and the methane emissions from man-made reservoirs, dams and storages, and the nitrous oxide emissions from coastal aquaculture production facilities.

The Plan will also consider how we can build resilience to the impacts of climate change in our lands and forests, and how the LULUCF sector can be supported in the global transition to lower emissions.

Relationship between LULUCF and agriculture sectors

Due to the nature of the land, forest, and farm management practices included in the LULUCF and agriculture sectors, there are important distinctions in the UNFCCC reporting framework for the treatment of emissions and removals in these two sectors.

As explained above, the LULUCF sector accounts for carbon fluxes in the landscape from land and forest management practices and activities, bushfires, controlled burns, land clearing and conversion to other land uses and regrowth on previously cleared land.

Emissions for the agriculture sector are largely attributable to methane and nitrous oxide from agricultural activities, including livestock and farm management practices such as the application of soil conditioners.

A summary of the main emissions sources and removals for both LULUCF and agriculture is provided below.

Relationship between LULUCF and other sectors

Due to the nature of the LULUCF sector and the UNFCCC reporting framework, there is significant overlap between forestry activities and other sectors. For example, emissions from the use of forestry machinery are accounted for in the energy sector and emissions from vehicles are reported in the transport sub-sector.

The sequestration from agro-forestry and agricultural practices to improve soil health and increase soil carbon sequestration, as well as the emissions from land clearing for agricultural production, are accounted for in the LULUCF sector.

The emissions from the use of fossil fuels to manufacture building materials used by the construction industry are accounted for in the energy sector. The reduction in emissions from the substitution of more emissions‑intensive building materials with long-life wood products will be seen in the energy sector. The substitution effect is a significant opportunity to reduce emissions in Tasmania, and in Australian and overseas markets where our long-life wood products are exported and used.

There are strong links between the agriculture and LULUCF sectors. These Plans are being developed concurrently to ensure all issues are considered across both Plans, and to support more efficient consultation with stakeholders.

The future opportunities identified in all sector-based Plans will be combined and inform the development of Tasmania’s next climate change action plan, including the identification of priorities and gaps not addressed through the development of the sector-based Plans.

Priority areas

Through targeted consultation, research and analysis, we have identified key priorities and future opportunities to reduce emissions and build resilience in Tasmania’s LULUCF sector.

Consultation has highlighted that there is no single solution to reduce emissions and build resilience in the LULUCF sector. A flexible approach is required to meet the diverse needs of all Tasmanians and ensure we can make the most of opportunities presented by emerging technologies.

We have grouped the key themes into five priority areas for action:

1. Improving the data, information and knowledge needed to drive change.
2. Supporting practices and technologies that will reduce emissions and increase carbon storage.
3. Supporting the sector in the transition to a lower emissions economy.
4. Building resilience to the impacts of climate change.
5. Driving action through partnerships and collaboration.

The future opportunities in this draft Plan are intended to guide public consultation to help us identify the priority actions to progress under the final Plan.

Consultation questions

To help us develop the final Plan for the LULUCF sector, we want to hear your thoughts about the priorities and future opportunities outlined on the following pages.

1. What future opportunities (outlined in this draft Plan) do you think will have the most impact?
2. Are there any priorities or future opportunities missing from this draft Plan?
3. How can we collaborate to reduce emissions and build resilience in the LULUCF sector?

Notes:

[1] www.recfit.tas.gov.au/what_is_recfit/climate_change/action_plan

[2] www.recfit.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/492093/Tasmanian_Emissions_Pathway_Review_-_Technical_Report.pdf

Improving the data, information and knowledge needed to drive change

It is critical that our land managers have access to the most up-to-date information, data and research outcomes to make long-term decisions, and manage the risks and opportunities of a changing climate.

While the natural processes associated with the carbon cycle are well understood, the complex interactions of our forests and forest health under a changing climate are only starting to be realised and there is a critical need to investigate this further.

The carbon exchange of forests is influenced to varying degrees by a range of factors, including tree species, temperature, evaporation rate, rainfall and soil carbon level. Extreme events such as bushfires, drought, heatwaves and flooding add another layer of complexity, especially if these events occur in quick succession (for example, compounding, cascading and aggregate events).

It is important that the most up-to-date information and data is available to land managers in ways that they can easily access and use, to inform their decisions about the changes they need to make in their business.

The future opportunities identified in this priority area are designed to build on the work already underway across the state and nationally, and address any gaps to improve our understanding of emissions reduction and carbon storage, and the research and data needs in the land and forestry sectors.

Current action

The Tasmanian Government has initiatives underway to improve the availability of climate-related information for landowners, including:

• Preparing Tasmania’s first statewide climate change risk assessment, that will identify and prioritise a range of climate-related risks and opportunities to support governments, businesses and industries across the state to make informed decisions.
• Updating Tasmania’s fine-scale climate projections to provide the most up-to-date future climate information to Tasmanians and support the development of climate change adaptation initiatives.
• Funding Private Forests Tasmania (PFT) to deliver the Stems for CO2 program, which supports Tasmanian farmers and landowners to plant and grow commercial trees on their properties and include carbon modelling of the tree plantings, and developing resources to communicate the carbon sequestration benefits and co-benefits of agro-forestry for farmers and other land holders.
• PFT has also established the Tree Alliance Knowledge Hub to provide landowners with information about the benefits of integrating trees into their operations, and tools and resources to help simplify the planning process.
• The Tasmania Forestry hub, in collaboration with PFT, have developed the Farm Forestry Carbon Tool to enable landowners to estimate their carbon emissions and sequestration, and encourage landowners to plant more trees on their properties.
• The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service has developed the Bushfire Risk Assessment Model (BRAM) to assist with the strategic management of bushfire risk. The BRAM tool is now hosted on a web portal and work is underway to make it available for other land managers.
• The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service has introduced a Cultural Burning Policy, working with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community to reinstate a cultural burning program to protect and enhance natural and cultural values on the land, support the practice, promotion and renewal of culture, through the use of fire, and share knowledge of culture and burning practices.

The Australian Government, in partnership with the University of Tasmania (UTAS), has established Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) supported by $100 million in funding through to 2026‑27. AFWI has established three research centres, including one based at UTAS in Launceston, to undertake forestry research, development and extension across key research themes, including climate change solutions, sustainable forests and making the most of available wood fibre resources.

Supporting practices and technologies that will reduce emissions and increase carbon storage

Tasmania’s LULUCF sector plays a critical role in Tasmania’s net zero emissions profile. It is important that we continue to plant, protect and adapt to ensure this resource is maintained into the future.

Tasmania’s emissions profile is largely due to the carbon sink in our managed forest estate. The size of the carbon sink is not guaranteed into the future due to the natural plateau of carbon sequestration as forests mature, the forecast increase in the frequency, intensity and incidence of bushfires and heatwaves, and other impacts of a changing climate such as biosecurity risks from pests and pathogens, and potential declines in forest productivity. It is important to not only preserve the health of Tasmania’s forests but to also conserve their carbon sequestration benefits in the landscape.

There are a range of existing and emerging opportunities to reduce LULUCF emissions and increase carbon sequestration, for example:

• reducing the conversion of forested lands and plantations to other land uses
• increasing commercial plantations, including agro-forestry
• increasing the proportion of forestry logs directed to long-term wood products and increasing domestic processing capacity
• introducing measures to reduce the risk of major bushfires.

There are also opportunities for land managers to apply precision agriculture technologies that can lead to efficiency improvements to reduce emissions in farming and forestry operations, and from changes to land management practices that improve soil carbon.

The future opportunities in this priority area are aimed at trialling new techniques, and measuring the benefits and sharing data with landowners and commercial plantation managers about land management practices that increase carbon sequestration.

Current action

The Tasmanian Government has a range of programs to reduce the barriers to adoption of the above opportunities, which include:

• The $600,000 Stems for CO2 program, delivered by PFT, includes a $450,000 grants program to support farmers and landowners with the upfront costs of integrating trees into their farming businesses.
• The $250,000 Carbon Farming Advice Rebate Pilot Program provides primary producers with rebates to offset the cost of obtaining expert advice on carbon farming projects, including agro‑forestry, carbon farming methods and related co-benefits.
• The Landcare Action Grants Program, delivered in partnership with TasFarmers and Landcare Tasmania, provides grants for practical on-ground works for sustainable agriculture and river care activities. The Program aims to improve landscape and riverine health, reduce soil erosion, assist in the holistic management of natural and productive lands and waterways, and implement carbon farming initiatives that enable access to carbon markets.
• The Bioenergy Vision for Tasmania provides a foundation for long-term investment in the bioenergy sector and stimulates private investment in commercially and environmentally sustainable bioenergy projects in Tasmania.
• The Fuel Reduction Program provides ongoing funding of $9 million per year to the Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) to reduce fuel loads and the intensity of bushfires and improve fire safety across the state. The TFS has developed an online portal for farmers and rural landowners to access fire permits to conduct fuel reduction burns.

Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) currently has four carbon abatement projects registered with the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Regulator to generate carbon credits under the Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) Scheme. Three of these projects convert existing short rotation plantations into long rotation plantations and one project is for the environmental planting of selected native species on land previously used for agricultural purposes.

Tasmanian councils have released strategies to increase the urban tree canopy cover across their local government areas, including the City of Hobart’s Street Tree Strategy and the City of Launceston’s Urban Greening Strategy 2023-2040. Increasing the canopy cover in urban settings not only sequesters more carbon but also provides shading that reduces the heat island effect and urban temperatures, and improves resilience and health outcomes of communities.

Supporting the LULUCF sector in the transition to a lower emissions economy

The global transition to net zero emissions presents both risks and opportunities for Tasmania’s land, forestry and wood products sectors.

Tasmanian agri-businesses and land and forest managers will face a number of risks in the transition to a lower emissions economy. These risks include changing regulatory frameworks and accounting standards related to climate-related financial disclosures, increased competition in global export markets, and reputational risks. In addition, there is likely to be increased competition from other industry sectors for Tasmanian land-based carbon offset projects, and competing demands for agricultural waste streams and forest residues for alternative fuel production such as sustainable aviation fuel and green methanol.

The transition to a lower emissions future also presents opportunities for Tasmania’s land, forestry and wood products sectors. There is likely to be an increase in demand for products with low embodied carbon, such as engineered wood products, to be used as an alternative to more emissions intensive building materials. There are other opportunities for land managers to generate income through the sale of carbon credits from projects that sequester carbon, lead to emissions reductions such as from the on-site use of bioenergy, or improve biodiversity outcomes.

The ACCU Scheme and the Nature Repair Market, which is currently under-development, provide opportunities for projects that store additional carbon in the landscape or restore and protect the environment. However, there are barriers to Tasmanian businesses accessing these markets that range from the complexity of the market schemes, suitability of methods, high compliance and insurance costs, aggregation of projects to achieve economies of scale, and price volatility of credits. In addition, the integrity of the scheme methods, and the risks from a changing climate over the life of the project may lead to a stratification of the market, where high integrity projects can command a premium price.

To understand how these risks and opportunities will impact Tasmanian land and forest managers, they will need tailored support, access to information, and the development of decision-support tools. Gaps in knowledge will also need to be addressed, for example supporting architects and builders to specify, design and construct buildings using emerging low-emissions materials rather than traditional building products.

The future opportunities will build on existing work to ensure the sector has the information it needs to report emissions, participate in carbon and nature-repair markets, undertake strategic land use planning, and support to make the most of Tasmania’s existing reputation for high-quality wood and fibre products.

Current action

The Tasmanian Government has a number of initiatives underway to improve our understanding of the impacts of climate change on Tasmania. Initiatives include updating the fine-scale climate projections for Tasmania to provide new information for a range of stakeholders, and development of Tasmania’s first statewide climate change risk assessment, due to be completed by November 2024.

The Tasmanian Government has provided a new function for STT, which formalises STT to participate in carbon markets. STT’s Ministerial Charter has been updated to align with this new function. As indicated above, STT currently has four carbon abatement projects registered under the ACCU Scheme.

In August 2021, the Tasmanian Forests and Forest Products Network (TFFPN) released the Tasmanian forest industry workforce development and implementation plan (2021 to 2025)to support the forest industry to strategically develop its future workforce to meet market, environmental and community expectations.

In October 2023, the Tasmania Forestry Hub released the Forest Industry Workforce Skills and Training Project: Career Mapping Final Reportbased on a study undertaken by RM Consulting Group. The objective of the project was to inform the Hub, TFFPN and the industry on strategic activity to address labour and skills shortages, particularly in high priority areas.

The Tasmanian Government, in partnership with key industry stakeholders and peak bodies, has developed a number of Industry Skills Compacts to engage with industry on training needs and workforce development. The Forestry Industry Skills Compact is currently under development.

At a national level, the Australian Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is investing $10 million over four years in the Forestry Workforce Training Program to support the delivery of skills and training to meet the needs of Australia’s forest and wood products sectors.

In May 2023, Forest & Wood Products Australia commenced a research project Natural Capital Accounting, From Theory to Practice: Case Studies for Sustainable Timber Tasmania and Forestry Corporation NSW. The research will test and implement a series of ‘System for Environmental Economic Accounting’-compliant natural capital accounts and corporate disclosure statements aligned with potential new international corporate reporting standards.

In December 2023, the Australian Government established a legislative framework for a national, voluntary nature repair market to improve biodiversity and nature repair outcomes. Methods that establish the eligibility requirements for project proponents and how projects are to be monitored and outcomes verified are currently under development.

The Australian Government is establishing a new proponent-led process to develop new ACCU Scheme methods, which was a recommendation of the Independent Review of ACCUs chaired by Professor Ian Chubb AC. This new process will allow for new methods to be developed that meet the needs of industry, while maintaining the integrity of the ACCU Scheme. Forestry Australia has submitted a proposal for a new ACCU Scheme method that recognises the carbon sequestration benefits of actively managed native forests.

Building resilience to the impacts of climate change

Tasmania is already experiencing changes to its climate, with a range of physical hazards that can be categorised as either chronic long-term shifts in climate patterns or acute extreme weather events. Chronic long-term changes for Tasmania are forecast to include a decrease in total annual rainfall and soil moisture content and an increase in annual average temperature. Tasmania is expected to experience an increase in the severity of extreme events such as drought, heatwaves, bushfires, storms, high wind gusts and flooding.

These long-term changes and extreme events are likely to have impacts on the health and productivity of Tasmania’s forests. These are significant risks for forest and land managers and also for Tasmania as a whole, and can lead to reduced forestry production, loss of employment, and flow-on impacts to our industries, communities and trade. These changes can also include adverse impacts on the mental health of effected landowners and communities.

Understanding these risks and potential impacts can help us develop strategies to improve adaptation outcomes and build resilience. The management of the risks and opportunities under a changing climate will vary across Tasmania’s diverse land and forest ecosystems and require a multifaceted approach that integrates proactive planning, adaptive management, risk assessment, scenario planning, and ecosystem management.

The future opportunities outlined below aim to make the most of existing knowledge and experience, and address gaps in current action at a regional, state and national level. Many of the future opportunities in priority area 1 will also support governments, business and industry to make informed decisions about climate change adaptation.

Current action

To support Tasmania’s land and forestry sectors to adapt and build resilience to a changing climate, the Tasmanian government is:

• Preparing Tasmania’s first statewide climate change risk assessment, that will identify and prioritise a range of climate-related risks and opportunities to support governments, businesses and industries across the state to make informed decisions.
• Supporting community-level action through the recently-launched Community Climate Change Action Grant Program.
• Delivering the Water Catchment Yield Science Update to update Tasmania’s hydrological models to inform water management.
• Partnering with the Australian Government through the Future Drought Fund to deliver:
• the Regional Drought Resilience Program
• funding to support drought affected communities on King Island and across Tasmania.
• Ensuring Tasmania has a modern water management framework through the Rural Water Use Strategy, including consideration of sustainable water management in the face of a changing climate.
• Partnering with the Australian Government to invest in irrigation scheme infrastructure to improve water security and enable farm enterprises and land managers to adapt to changing rainfall patterns.
• Considering the impacts of climate change in the state’s biosecurity import risk analysis process.

Driving action through partnerships and collaboration

Climate change is a global issue and taking action will be the responsibility of all levels of government, business, industry and the community. To accelerate the adoption of emissions reduction and resilience measures in the land and forestry sectors, it is important that all groups work together to align actions and ensure they complement each other without duplicating effort.

The benefits of taking a partnership approach include sharing information, resources and learnings, bringing a diversity of knowledge and experience to creatively solve problems, and achieving economies of scale.

There are organisations already established in Tasmania, such as the Tasmania Forestry Hub, that foster strong collaboration in the LULUCF sector. Opportunities exist to strengthen networks across other sectors in the state.

The future opportunities will enable increased collaboration between governments, business and industry to drive action in the land and forestry sectors. Many of the future opportunities in other priority areas also include a collaborative partnership approach to achieve the best results.

Current action

Private Forests Tasmania, through its Tree Alliance program, collaborates with a range of industry stakeholders including landowners, individuals, commercial plantation managers, peak bodies and natural resource management, not-for-profit and research organisations to increase the integration of tree plantings on farms.

The Tasmania Forestry Hub was established by the Australian Government in 2019 under the National Forestry Industry Plan and is one of 11 Regional Forestry Hubs across Australia. The Hub supports the forestry sector and is working with industry stakeholders across four strategic priorities: carbon policy, workforce, skills and training, resource and land access, and supply chain and infrastructure.

The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service works closely with a number of state and national organisations, including the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, Tasmania Fire Service, UTAS, the Bureau of Meteorology, Bushfire and Natural Hazard Cooperative Research Centre, and the National Aerial Firefighting Centre to access high-quality data used in the BRAM tool.

The Tasmanian Government, in partnership with key industry stakeholders and peak bodies, including Arbre Forest Industries Training & Careers Hub, TFFPN and the Tasmanian Forest Products Association, is developing the Forestry Industry Skills Compact.

The Australian Government, in partnership with UTAS, has established AFWI to undertake forestry research, development and extension across three research centres, including at UTAS in Launceston.

At a national level, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is developing the Agriculture and Land Sectoral Plan to identify the opportunities for the agriculture and LULUCF sectors to decarbonise and transition to a net zero economy. The Tasmanian Government is participating in the state and territory consultation process.

All Australian jurisdictions have also agreed to develop a First Nations Statement on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries by early 2025, to drive greater economic inclusion for First Nations Australians in these industries.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is undertaking a review of the National Forest Policy Statement. One of the identified strategic priorities is to expand forestry’s contribution to climate change mitigation.

Implementation

After the final Plan for the LULUCF sector is published, we will continue to engage with key partners and the community on the development and implementation of future opportunities as required.

We will keep stakeholders and the community informed through the Climate Change Office website, newsletter and social media.

We encourage you to sign up for our newsletter through our website: www.recfit.tas.gov.au/climate and follow the Climate Change Office on Facebook to stay informed about opportunities to participate in programs relevant to you.

Reporting

We will prepare an annual climate change activity statement, showing the status of each sectoral Plan and progress on future opportunities, and the status of initiatives in the climate change action plan.

We will also prepare an annual greenhouse gas emissions report detailing Tasmania’s emissions for each sector.

These reports will be prepared each year and will be tabled in Parliament, as required under the Act.

As outlined in this draft Plan, we intend to work on improving our data capability to determine the impact of different initiatives in this Plan, and other relevant strategies, on Tasmania’s LULUCF sector emissions.

Review

The Tasmanian Government is committed to a co-ordinated, whole-of-government response to climate change. Together with the Action Plan and the delivery of Tasmania’s first statewide climate change risk assessment, the development of the sector-based Plans is a strategic priority for the government that will be delivered in consultation with business, industry and portfolio Ministers.

However, we recognise that there is significant overlap between LULUCF and other sectors, and that there are parts of Tasmania’s communities, businesses and industries that may not be comprehensively covered by the sector-based Plans.

We will prepare and publish a report outlining the links between all sectoral plans and the climate change risk assessment. The report will also identify future focus areas to inform policies and programs, including Tasmania’s next climate change action plan.

The Plans are to be updated at least every five years.