The government has released the Net Zero Plan and six sector plans to guide Australia’s transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Agriculture and Land Sector Plan explores the opportunities for farmers and land managers to contribute, with a strong focus on ensuring Australian agriculture remains a global leader in the production of low emissions food and fibre. The sector plan identifies the importance of understanding emissions at the enterprise and national level as one of four foundational areas for action.
Taking action
Trusted and easy-to-use greenhouse gas (GHG) calculators are becoming an essential part of doing business for producers. To address stakeholder feedback on the inconsistencies among the range of GHG emissions calculators available, the Australian Government announced $28.7 million in funding in the 2024-25 Budget. This funding will support improvements in GHG accounting at the national through to farm level by:
- Enhancing the National Greenhouse Accounts methods and data collection processes (led by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)).
- Developing, publishing and maintaining GHG emissions estimation and reporting guidelines for agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries (led by DCCEEW).
- Facilitating integration of the guidelines into new and existing farm-level GHG emissions calculators and tools (including to reflect updates over time) (led by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)).
The DAFF-led element aims to increase the proportion of producers that know and understand their business’ emissions, and the on-farm activities and practices that affect their net emissions.
DAFF is delivering this element through a grant to Agricultural Innovation Australia, in partnership with the Zero Net Emissions from Agriculture Cooperative Research Centre, under the Improving Consistency of On-farm Emissions Estimates program.
GHG Emissions Estimation and Reporting Guidelines
The Australian Government is developing guidelines to improve the quality and consistency of GHG accounting methods. This aims to improve the quality and consistency of the emissions estimates calculated by GHG accounting tools. The easiest way for producers to adopt the guidelines will be for producers to use an emissions calculator that is aligned with these guidelines.
The guidelines will include:
- Common Requirements Framework – general rules and guidance for producing an emissions inventory.
- Methodological Guidance – detailed methods and data sources for calculating emissions across different commodities.
To find out more about the guidelines, please visit the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Have your say
The guidelines are being developed in two tranches and DCCEEW is currently seeking feedback on Tranche 2. Public consultation on the guidelines is open from 27 March 2026 to 8 May 2026. To have your say, please visit the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Voluntary Emissions Estimation and Reporting Standards Reference Group
The Australian Government has established a Voluntary Emissions Estimation and Reporting Standards Reference Group. This group provides guidance and advice on:
- the development of guidelines for agriculture, fishery and forestry
- stakeholder needs for incorporation of guidelines into GHG calculators and accounting tools.
The Reference Group is co-chaired by DCCEEW and the Zero Net Emissions from Agriculture Cooperative Research Centre. It includes representatives from industry, the supply chain, finance sector, First Nations groups, agricultural service providers and researchers.
For further information on the Reference Group (including membership), please visit the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.