Department of Primary Industries

The great carbon credit con: A shonky system exposed

7 February 2025 / 5 Comments

Carbon offsetting is an honesty system coupled with a financial incentive for dishonesty.

– Ketan Joshi

Carbon credits, once hailed as a cornerstone of Australia’s climate change strategy, have been unmasked as a financial sleight of hand. They are marketed as a tool to curb emissions, yet in practice, they have become a glorified accounting trick, enriching a select few while diverting funds from genuine climate action.

The fruit and salad bowl of Queensland

Introduction

If you have driven around the patchwork of fertile red volcanic soils east of Bundaberg, you would have noticed several paddocks of fruit and vegetable crops, in addition to the vast cane fields. Bundaberg is best known for its sugar cane and rum. However, these days, the region is a true fruit and salad bowl area feeding the nation.