CSIRO casts doubt on key aspect of Government's Direct Action climate change plan

Updated

The CSIRO has cast doubt on a key aspect of the Federal Government's climate change plan, saying storing carbon in soil is only likely to result in a "low level" cut to greenhouse gas emissions.

The Government's multi-billion dollar Direct Action policy aims to cut carbon pollution by 5 per cent by the year 2020, with soil carbons forming a major part of its strategy.

"The single largest opportunity for CO2 emissions reduction in Australia is through bio-sequestration in general and, in particular, the replenishment of our soil carbons," the policy document states.

"It is also the lowest cost CO2 emissions reduction available in Australia on a large scale."

In a submission to a Senate inquiry into the Direct Action policy, the CSIRO says there are many options for achieving the 5 per cent target, but warns that soil carbons may not deliver much.

"Soil carbon in agricultural zones is likely to provide low levels of greenhouse gas abatement," it states.

"Saturation of carbon sinks (the maturation of forests and the restoration of soil carbon levels) means that per annum abatement from the land sector will decline in the decades after project establishment."

The CSIRO also says there needs to be further work done on modelling the carbon levels in soil.

In response to questions about the CSIRO's comments, a spokesman for Environment Minister Greg Hunt told the ABC: "We remain extremely confident we'll achieve our targets and achieve them easily."

Topics: climate-change, environment, environmental-management, environmental-policy, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia

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