The Australian Government has made 2 new savanna fire management methods under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme:
- a savanna fire management sequestration and emissions avoidance 2026 method
- a savanna fire management emissions avoidance 2026 method.
These methods support strategic fire management. The methods are based on years of scientific research and First Nations knowledge of burning across northern Australia's savanna areas.
Both new methods incentivise low intensity, 'cooler' fires in the early dry season, which lowers emissions from the fires and increases carbon stored in savanna ecosystems.
About the new methods
The new methods:
- encourage new savanna fire management projects
- support existing projects by enabling them to earn more ACCUs (provided they meet the requirements in the new methods)
- use updated science to measure emissions reduction and sequestration benefits of strategic savanna burning
- use SavCAM (Savanna Carbon Accounting Model) calculator, to be updated mid-2026, to align carbon accounting of savanna projects with our National Greenhouse Gas Inventory reporting.
Savanna projects in northern Australia span 34.9 million hectares - around a quarter of the Northern Territory.
First Nations communities manage 70% of the area registered under these projects and the new methods could deliver significant economic benefits for these First Nations communities, including:
- jobs for Indigenous land managers
- direct income from the sale of ACCUs
- increased capacity to care for Country, culture and communities.
The Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee consulted on the exposure draft of the new savanna methods between 7 October and 3 November 2025.
The ERAC has assessed the methods as meeting the legislated offset integrity standards.
Read the ERAC's advice to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy.
Next steps
People can contact the Clean Energy Regulator if they are interested in registering a project.
