Australia's agricultural carbon credit mechanisms and their implications for China's agricultural carbon neutrality

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-9479.2026.09.20250574

Abstract

Abstract:

As a major agricultural country,Australia has pioneered the establishment of a flexible market mechanism through its Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme to promote agricultural carbon emission reduction and carbon sequestration projects. Through literature review and data analysis, this study systematically examines the policy and regulatory framework, market trading mechanisms, project types, and emission reduction outcomes of Australia's agricultural carbon projects, while conducting a comparative analysis of the current status and gaps in agricultural carbon sequestration between China and Australia.The results indicate that since the implementation of agricultural carbon projects in 2012, Australia had operationalized 787 agricultural carbon projects by the end of 2024, cumulatively issuing 2.56 million ACCUs. Notably, soil carbon sequestration projects accounted for 98.6% of all agricultural carbon projects. Moving forward, China should enhance its policy and regulatory framework for agricultural carbon sequestration, improve market trading mechanisms, advance methodological research and standardization, and strengthen the cultivation of market participants. Furthermore, integrating carbon sequestration value into natural resource pricing and valuation systems will be crucial to achieving its carbon peak and neutrality goals.

Key words: agriculture, Australia Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU), carbon emission reduction, carbon sequestration

摘要：

澳大利亚作为农业大国，率先通过碳信用单位（ACCU）计划，建立了灵活的市场机制，推动农业碳减排和碳汇项目的发展。本文通过文献综述和数据分析，系统梳理了澳大利亚农业碳项目的政策法规框架、市场交易机制、项目类型及减排成效，并对比分析了中澳两国在农业碳汇领域的现状与差距。结果显示，澳大利亚自2012年实施农业碳项目以来，截至2024年末，已运行787个农业碳项目，累计发放256万个碳信用单位（ACCU），其中土壤碳汇项目占总农业碳项目数量的98.6%。借鉴澳大利亚农业碳信用机制的经验，未来中国应完善农业碳汇的政策法规框架、市场交易机制，深化方法学研究与标准化，并强化市场主体培育，推动碳汇价值深度嵌入自然资源定价估价制度，助力实现碳达峰和碳中和目标。

关键词: 农业, 澳大利亚碳信用单位, 碳减排, 碳汇

Meiping LI, Jian ZUO, Xianjin HUANG. Australia's agricultural carbon credit mechanisms and their implications for China's agricultural carbon neutrality[J]. World Regional Studies, 2026, 35(9): 78-90.

李美平, 左剑, 黄贤金. 澳大利亚农业碳信用机制及其对中国农业碳中和的启示[J]. 世界地理研究, 2026, 35(9): 78-90.

Figures/Tables 4

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方法	年份	主要内容
土壤碳	2014	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（在放牧系统中的土壤中封存碳）方法确定
	2015	碳信用（碳农业倡议-使用默认值估计土壤中的碳封存量）方法确定
	2018	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议-CFI绘图工具和小更正）方法确定变化（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议-农业系统中土壤碳封存的测量）方法确定
	2021	碳信用（碳农业倡议-使用测量和模型估算土壤有机碳封存量）方法确定
其他	2012	（已停用）碳农业（利用猪舍粪便产生的甲烷）方法测定（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（销毁有盖厌氧池中奶牛粪产生的甲烷）方法确定
	2013	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（通过向奶牛饲喂膳食添加剂来减少温室气体排放）方法确定（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（销毁猪舍粪便产生的甲烷-1.1）方法确定（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（使用工程生物消化器销毁养猪舍的甲烷）方法确定
	2014	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（通过向肉牛饲喂硝酸盐来减少温室气体排放）方法确定
	2015	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议-肉牛群管理）方法确定碳信用（碳农业倡议-减少灌溉棉花肥料的温室气体排放）方法确定
	2019	碳信用（碳农业倡议-动物污水管理）方法确定
	2022	碳信用（碳农业倡议-动物污水管理）方法确定变化

方法	年份	主要内容
土壤碳	2014	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（在放牧系统中的土壤中封存碳）方法确定
	2015	碳信用（碳农业倡议-使用默认值估计土壤中的碳封存量）方法确定
	2018	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议-CFI绘图工具和小更正）方法确定变化（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议-农业系统中土壤碳封存的测量）方法确定
	2021	碳信用（碳农业倡议-使用测量和模型估算土壤有机碳封存量）方法确定
其他	2012	（已停用）碳农业（利用猪舍粪便产生的甲烷）方法测定（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（销毁有盖厌氧池中奶牛粪产生的甲烷）方法确定
	2013	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（通过向奶牛饲喂膳食添加剂来减少温室气体排放）方法确定（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（销毁猪舍粪便产生的甲烷-1.1）方法确定（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（使用工程生物消化器销毁养猪舍的甲烷）方法确定
	2014	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议）（通过向肉牛饲喂硝酸盐来减少温室气体排放）方法确定
	2015	（已停用）碳信用（碳农业倡议-肉牛群管理）方法确定碳信用（碳农业倡议-减少灌溉棉花肥料的温室气体排放）方法确定
	2019	碳信用（碳农业倡议-动物污水管理）方法确定
	2022	碳信用（碳农业倡议-动物污水管理）方法确定变化