The Wire

While states around Australia are busy developing an emissions trading scheme that could be up and running by 2010, Australia’s agricultural sector seems to have been left largely out of the loop. But a new report aims to reconnect the agricultural sector with the debate on how it can stand to benefit and lose from emissions trading, which is seen as essential to reducing climate change. A report commissioned by the National Farmers Federation has found that the sector could benefit by 700 to 900 million dollars over a five-year period, if the sector just leaves certain trees standing. This is important, because the agricultural sector is believed to be responsible for up to a quarter of Australias green house gas emissions.