Diversifying rural economies: Identifying factors that incentivise or discourage primary producers from engaging in emerging carbon and environmental offsetting markets in Queensland, Australia

Diversifying rural economies: Identifying factors that incentivise or discourage primary producers from engaging in emerging carbon and environmental offsetting markets in Queensland, Australia

International and national level commitments to reach carbon neutrality have led to innovative market-based instruments that incentivise industry to develop technological solutions by penalising carbon intensive industrial activities. Due to the effectiveness of linking environmental goals to market base instruments, several other environmental offsetting schemes have emerged. These have wide ranging impacts for the Australian agricultural sector and associated rural communities where the large majority of carbon credits, and biodiversity credits are sourced. The introduction of carbon and environmental markets has created the opportunity for an expansion and diversification of local, rural economies beyond a traditional agricultural base. However, there is much complexity for the agricultural sector to navigate as environmental markets intersect and compete with food and fibre livelihoods, and entrenched ideologies of rural identity and purpose. As carbon and environmental markets focussed on primary producers have expanded rapidly, there is little understanding of the situated and relational impacts of these immense changes, nor of the many factors that determine whether primary producers are/will engage in carbon farming or other environmental market activities. In this study, we aim to examine these complex tensions through qualitative research methods undertaken with primary producers, local government executives and other local stakeholders located in our case study area surrounding Stanthorpe, Queensland. These findings will provide locally relevant information that can support and inform primary producers of the many options in this sector and are likely transferrable across the State. Similarly, these results will provide empirical insights embedded in a rural community context that are useful for policy makers when reviewing and developing relevant policy and programming initiatives in this sector

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