“We need a strong signal from the government that carbon farming, in particular using soils as carbon sinks, can be part of Australia’s international response to Climate Change,” Climate Institute CEO, John Connor, said.

“Greater clarification of the Government’s view of the role of soil carbon offsets in the July Green paper would be a welcome first step.”

“Australia’s regional and rural communities are at the front line of climate change impacts.

"People managing our precious natural resources, such as soil and water, are looking for a clear signal from government that there are opportunities for them in changing farming practices and sinking carbon in the land they manage.

“This is already happening in the United States, even though they haven’t yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol.”

Last week the need for a Soil Taskforce was identified, following the Agricultural Alliance on Climate Change (ACCC) Soil Summit in Canberra.

The summit - with representatives from farming, industry, science, research bodies, business and government - identified key players in Australia’s developing soil carbon industry and determined the initial steps for stakeholders to help shape soil’s role in Australia’s climate change response.

The Soil Taskforce will investigate all opportunities to make soil carbon storage an economic reality and review the situation internationally where soil carbon already exists as a traded commodity.

“Improved management of soil and the reduction in the amount of carbon pollution released through farming and other industry would not only bring environmental benefits but could provide financial assistance for some agricultural communities,” Climate Change spokesperson for WA Farmers, Dale Park, said.

“Farmers are innovators and would seize the opportunity to diversify their incomes and be part of the climate change solution by capturing and storing carbon in their land.”

“What we need now is the Government to provide stronger signals about how carbon storage in soil would be used to help the agriculture sector meet its future climate change obligations and reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.”