As outlined in its Strategic Plan, the CRC's research program is designed to assist Australian industry and agriculture in the areas of land use and land management through techniques to enhance carbon sequestration over the long term.

CRC Expertise

Our centre brings together over one hundred of Australia's leading greenhouse researchers from most of the major scientific and land management institutions across Australia. Our major strengths include the incorporation of the most active research groups in carbon accounting found currently in both federal and state governments.

Under its establishment agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia, the CRC is required to nominate "Key Researchers" to lead its scientific discoveries. Key Researchers selected by the Centre are:

Overall, the CRC has engaged researchers from most of the relevant centres across Australia and incorporates the most active research groups relevant to carbon accounting in federal and state governments. It has a strong core of University researchers at the Australian National University and is negotiating partnership agreements with the Universities of Melbourne and Queensland. Past and present leaders of CSIRO's Biosphere Working Group play leadership roles in the CRC.

This provides an important link to CSIRO's other greenhouse activities conducted within its 'Climate and Atmosphere' Sector. Although the CSIRO program covers a wider range of research than the CRC itself, the CSIRO undertakes complementary research related to greenhouse gases and much of this research relating to sinks is incorporated within the CRC.

Research Goals

The CRC for Greenhouse Accounting is researching and developing simple, accurate and cost-effective techniques that account for the presence and behaviour of carbon (C) in our soils and vegetation biosphere.

The CRC is endeavouring to:

• increase understanding of the terrestrial carbon cycle and the forces driving change;
• predict responses of biophysical systems to global change;
• develop methods for measuring terrestrial carbon fluxes, sources & sinks; and
• develop innovative ways to manage the carbon cycle to achieve national greenhouse gas reduction objectives.

Scientifically accurate and verifiable carbon accounting techniques are necessary to underpin future carbon trading schemes as well as the successful implementation of Articles 3.3, 3.4 and 3.7 of the Kyoto Protocol.