The Federal Government has announced the final membership of the independent Land Sector Carbon and Biodiversity Board.

 

The Board will be tasked with advising the Federal Government on measures that increase the land sector’s resilience to the effects of climate change and improving long-term farm productivity. The Board will also advocate measures to assist landholders and regional communities to benefit from greenhouse gas reduction and sequestration measures.

 

The Board will advise the Government on the implementation of the Land Sector Package, performance indicators of the package and the priorities for research under the package.

 

The package includes the: 

  • Biodiversity Fund 
  • Carbon Farming Futures Fund 
  • Indigenous Carbon Farming Fund 
  • Regional Natural Resource Management Planning for Climate Change Fund 
  • Non-Kyoto Carbon Fund; and 
  • Carbon Farming Skills program

 

The Board members are:

  • The Hon Bob Debus (Chair) 
    Mr Debus has expertise in environmental policy, governance and law. A former state and federal government Minister, Mr Debus is the Independent Chair of the National Wildlife Corridors Plan Advisory Group which is assisting in the development of the Australian Government's National Wildlife Corridors Plan.
  • Professor Lesley Hughes Professor 
    Lesley Hughes is an expert in the impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems. She is a professorial fellow with the Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, a commissioner on the Climate Commission, and a lead author on the IPCC fourth and fifth assessment reports.
  • Mr David Crombie 
    Mr David Crombie is a former President of the National Farmers' Federation.
  • Mr Joe Ross 
    Mr Joe Ross is the former chair of the Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce. He is a member of the Bunuba people in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Joe has been prominent in facilitating the development of the National Indigenous Climate Change Project.
  • Ms Anna Skarbek 
    Ms Anna Skarbek is the Executive Director at Climate Works Australia, a member of the Australian Government's NGO roundtable on climate change and a director of the Carbon Market Institute, Sustainable Melbourne Fund, Thermometer Foundation for Social Research on Climate Change and Linking Melbourne Authority.