Proposed camel methodology refused

The Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee (DOIC) has decided not to endorse the proposed CFI methodology to manage feral camels in Australia’s rangelands.

DOIC is an independent expert committee supporting the environmental integrity the Carbon Farming Initiative. Its role is to assess proposed methodologies aimed at generating carbon credits, and advise the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.

The reasons for refusal include:

·         The proposed baseline is the rate of camel culling in the period prior to 2008. This historic baseline does not account for recent and planned activities under the Australian Feral Camel Management Program or other activities likely to occur in the absence of the CFI project.

·         The methodology proposal does not include complete or suitable instructions for estimating emissions,

·         The proposed method of verifying the number of animals culled is not easily auditable and numbers culled could be inflated.

·         There is insufficient scientific evidence to support assumptions in the methodology proposal, for example, the assumption that camel populations have yet to reach carrying capacity in Australia’s rangelands, and

·         There is insufficient evidence that key estimates, projections or assumptions included in the methodology are conservative.

DOIC also noted that the methodology does not include sufficiently clear or detailed instructions to ensure the protection of animal welfare.

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Acknowledgement: Dept. of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency