Standard Presentation 2024 Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting combined with NZMSS

Co-developing Indigenous engagement guidelines for Australia’s carbon market (#94)

Rachel A Groom 1 , Polly Grace 2 3 , Catherine E Lovelock 4 , Jarrad Holmes 2 5 , Justin Perry 6 , Shaun Evans 7 , Anna Boustea 2
  1. Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University , Darwin, NT, Australia
  2. Indigenous Carbon Industry Network, Darwin, NT, Australia
  3. Polly Grace Consulting, Atherton, QLD, Australia
  4. School of Environment, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  5. PEC Consultants, Atherton, QLD, Australia
  6. North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd (NAILSMA), Townsville , QLD, Australia
  7. li-Anthawirriyarra Sea Ranger Unit, Borroloola, NT, Australia

Carbon and environmental markets and their related policies are rapidly evolving to meet National carbon reduction targets. In Australia, they are emerging markets with great potential to improve carbon sequestration, restore biodiversity and values of cultural significance and provide other co-benefits. However, rapid market growth infers the potential for perverse outcomes without proper regulation and processes implemented alongside. Corresponding regulations and processes still need to be implemented to ensure Indigenous engagement is legitimate, respectful, and empowering. National Indigenous Engagement Guidelines are being developed to capture the wide-ranging rights and interests of Indigenous peoples and communities across jurisdictions to ensure equity and empowerment in the blue carbon and other markets. A subset of Indigenous organisations across Australia are co-developing the Guidelines to ensure equity, Indigenous people's rights and interests, and principles of free, prior, and informed consent are at the forefront of blue carbon and other carbon projects. A key output from this research will be a document that outlines leading practice Indigenous engagement principles learned through an elicitation process. The guidelines will be submitted to the Commonwealth government alongside proposed new carbon abatement methods to enable efficient implementation for the developing industry.