Savanna fire management in Australia has entered its next phase, with the approval of updated settings under the ACCU scheme strengthening the integrity and scalability of one of the country’s most established carbon project types.
The update, following review by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), reinforces the role of SFM as a proven, landscape-scale approach to emissions reduction and land management across northern Australia.
The revision introduces more rigorous baselining, updated modelling and carbon accounting aligned with the latest scientific understanding of fire in savanna landscapes, and strengthened risk management settings, including buffers and updated technical guidance. It also aligns more closely with Australia’s carbon accounting under the Paris Climate Agreement and broader international market frameworks.
These changes support more defensible abatement outcomes, improve transparency, and reduce the risk of over-crediting.
Corporate Carbon Group (CCG) Executive Director Gary Wyatt said the update represents an important step forward for the broader carbon market, “This is about strengthening what is already one of the most established and scaled methods in the ACCU scheme,” Wyatt said.
“Savanna fire management has been delivering emissions reductions and land management outcomes across millions of hectares for more than a decade. These updates improve the integrity of the practice and provide greater confidence in the outcomes being generated.”
SFM projects use early dry season burning to reduce the intensity and extent of late season wildfires, lowering emissions while supporting biodiversity and cultural land management practices. Projects are predominantly Indigenous-led and play a key role in regional economies across northern Australia. These projects have also been adopted by pastoralists to supplement on farm income, thereby improving farm resilience and supporting the rural and regional economy.
The update is expected to improve investor confidence by bringing the approach into closer alignment with global carbon market expectations and emerging international frameworks, including Article 6.
Wyatt said the changes also reflect a broader shift toward performance-based methodologies and more rigorous measurement of outcomes, “As carbon markets continue to evolve, there is an increasing focus on integrity, transparency and measurable outcomes,” he said.
“These updates position SFM strongly within that context and support its continued role as a credible, large-scale solution.”
The approval comes at a time of increased focus on land management and fire risk, with forecasts pointing to more challenging hot and dry conditions later in the year.
Wyatt said proactive fire management systems such as SFM will continue to play an important role in managing risk across northern Australia, “Effective fire management at scale requires planning, coordination and the ability to operate across large, remote areas,” he said.
“SFM provides a structured, proven approach to doing that, while also delivering emissions reduction outcomes.”
CCG said the update provides a foundation for continued growth of the method, supporting both existing projects and future development across suitable landscapes. This has the potential to unlock up to a $1bln of annual economic activity across northern Australia.
Wyatt thanked the Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Josh Wilson in leading DCCEEW to finalising these updated methods in a quick and efficient manner.
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Notes to editors:
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Savanna Fire Management (SFM) is an approved method under Australia’s ACCU scheme
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Projects use early dry season burning to reduce late season wildfire emissions
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SFM projects operate across more than 34 million hectares of northern Australia
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A significant proportion of abatement has been delivered through Indigenous-led projects
About us:
About Corporate Carbon Group:
Founded in 2010, Corporate Carbon Group is one of Australia’s leading carbon abatement project developers and owners. Delivering more than 15 million Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) to the CER and commercial clients, Corporate Carbon has deep expertise in identifying new emissions reduction opportunities, establishing projects, managing delivery risks, and navigating complex policy and legislation. Corporate Carbon is a member of the Carbon Market Institute and an Australian Carbon Industry Code of Conduct Foundation signatory. For more information, please visit corporatecarbon.com.au.
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