Carbon Credits

* ACCUs = Australian Carbon Credit Units.

Total Credits

FULL DATA

Explainer

  • Carbon credits are a mechanism to sell and buy the 'credit' for achieving carbon emission reductions.
  • In Australia, carbon credits are called ACCUs — Australian Carbon Credit Units.
  • 1 x ACCU represents 1 x tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂-e) prevented from being in the atmosphere, because it is stored or avoided.
  • Carbon credits and offsets are part of an evolving and often contested field.
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Data

Aus

Total Credits

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 18,671,719 19.0%
2024-25 7,262,424 61.1%

Source: CER via OnlyFacts | Updated: 02-12-24

Trend

Aus

Total Credits

Source: CER via OnlyFacts | Updated: 02-12-24

Comparison

Aus

Total Credits

Source: CER via OnlyFacts | Updated: 02-12-24

States and Territories

Data

Aus

States and Territories

STATE / TERRITORY

ACCUs

%

Qld 2,586,863 17.8%
NSW 2,456,484 16.9%
WA 660,274 4.5%
NT 610,833 4.2%
Vic 470,854 3.2%
SA 220,107 1.5%
Tas 154,932 1.1%
Multi 80,577 0.6%
ACT 21,500 0.1%
Australia 7,262,424 100%

Source: CER via OnlyFacts | Updated: 02-12-24

Trend

Aus

States and Territories

Source: CER via OnlyFacts | Updated: 02-12-24

Methods

Explainer

  • ACCUs are created when individuals or businesses do things that are recognised as avoiding emissions or storing carbon.
  • Australia's Clean Energy Regulator (CER) issues ACCUs to approved projects.
  • Eligible activities include planting trees to establish permanent forests, capturing methane at landfills, or upgrading industrial equipment to be more energy efficient.


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Data

Aus

Methods

METHOD

ACCUs

%

Vegetation 3,566,627 24.6%
Waste 1,935,834 13.3%
Savanna Burning 945,052 6.5%
Industrial Fugitives 568,522 3.9%
Agriculture 132,908 0.9%
Facilities 104,424 0.7%
Energy Efficiency 9,057 0.1%
Carbon Capture 0 0.0%
Savanna Fire Management 0 0.0%
Transport 0 0.0%
Total 7,262,424 100.0%

Source: CER via OnlyFacts | Updated: 02-12-24

Trend

Aus

Methods

Source: CER via OnlyFacts | Updated: 02-12-24

Comparison

Aus

Methods

Source: CER via OnlyFacts | Updated: 02-12-24

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