And while we’re working to reduce our emissions wherever possible, where we can’t, we are purchasing carbon offsets to become carbon neutral. This is one element of our commitment to be part of the solution to climate change — for the benefit of all.

Read on to learn about some of the projects we’ve chosen to support to offset our emissions for the 2019/20 financial year.

Winds of Change

Across India, wind farms avoid emissions by introducing clean power to the electricity grid which could otherwise be generated by a fossil-fuel fired power plant.

Our purchased offsets assist the Winds of Change projects that help reduce power shortages and contribute to increased values on agricultural land and residential properties. The projects also help create new jobs and training, improve communication within remote villages and even helped establish a local immunisation program. Many local villages rely on the turbines to pump clean water to drink and irrigate their crops.

Fighting fire with fire

We’re pleased to support this Indigenous fire management project in the Northern Territory. 

Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory is prone to extreme, devastating wildfires that affect the landscape, people, plants and animals. Local rangers conduct controlled burns early in the dry season to reduce fuel on the ground and establish a mosaic of natural firebreaks, preventing bigger, hotter and uncontrolled wildfires later in the season. 

Reinstating traditional burning practices has demonstrated a significant reduction in carbon emissions along with highly valued social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits for Indigenous landowners.

The project provides employment and training opportunities while supporting Aboriginal people in returning to, remaining on and managing their country as well as the preservation and transfer of knowledge, the maintenance of Aboriginal languages and the wellbeing of traditional custodians. 

Importantly, the project is owned exclusively by Aboriginal people with custodial responsibility for those parts of Arnhem Land under active bushfire management.

Rainforest protection

Projects across South America, Oceania and Africa protect millions of hectares of native forests which secure wildlife habitat and support local communities. For example, projects across Peru protect large, in-tact expanse of rainforest that would otherwise be cleared, preventing the release of millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. Protecting the forests secures the carbon stored within the organic matter.

These projects diversify landholder income and put a value on retaining the forests by supporting sustainable agroforestry including cocoa and coffee production. In addition to reducing emissions, protecting rainforests secures vital habitat for millions of endemic and endangered rainforest species of animals and plants.

Want to learn more?

Check out the recent article on our Climate Action Plan and the steps we’re taking to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.