1. Emissions

  2. Carbon Credits

Emissions - Carbon Credits

What are ACCUs? ACCU stands for Australian Carbon Credit Units. One ACCU represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) greenhouse gas that is not released into the atmosphere. The Clean Energy Regulator issues ACCUs if CO2-e is stored or avoided.

Total Credits

FULL DATA

Explainer

Carbon credits offset carbon emissions by storing, reducing or avoiding greenhouse gas emissions.

Projects that generate carbon credits must either reduce future emissions or remove existing CO2 from the atmosphere.

Australia's carbon credit scheme creates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).

Projects earn one carbon credit for every tonne of carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) stored or avoided by a project.

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Data

Total Credits

Australia

YEAR

ACCUs

NET

2015-16 10,719,735 15.0%
2016-17 13,151,991 22.7%
2017-18 12,207,903 7.2%
2018-19 13,663,409 11.9%
2019-20 15,476,458 13.3%
2020-21 16,466,275 6.4%
2021-22 16,508,527 0.3%
2022-23 15,686,027 5.0%
2023-24 17,597,189 12.2%

Trend

Total Credits

Australia

Comparison

Total Credits

Australia

States and Territories

Data

States and Territories

Australia

STATE / TERRITORY

ACCUs

%

NSW 6,815,204 19.4%
Qld 5,127,163 14.6%
WA 1,920,897 5.5%
Vic 1,573,760 4.5%
NT 846,277 2.4%
Multi 471,789 1.3%
SA 431,266 1.2%
Tas 316,536 0.9%
ACT 94,297 0.3%
Australia 17,597,189 100%

Trend

States and Territories

Australia

Methods

Explainer

Carbon credits are a mechanism to offset carbon emissions by buying into projects that reduce or remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

These methods are diverse, encompassing a range of activities designed to either capture carbon dioxide or prevent its emission. 

To read an explanation of each method, click the button below.

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Data

Methods

Australia

METHOD

ACCUs

%

Vegetation 9,104,302 25.9%
Waste 5,794,393 16.5%
Savanna Burning 1,609,790 4.6%
Industrial Fugitives 648,362 1.8%
Agriculture 226,434 0.6%
Energy Efficiency 178,678 0.5%
Transport 35,230 0.1%
Carbon Capture 0 0.0%
Facilities 0 0.0%
Total 17,597,189 100.0%

Trend

Methods

Australia

Comparison

Methods

Australia

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