# Australian Senate debate over forest carbon credits

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/australian-senate-debate-over-forest-carbon-credits
> Updated: 2026-09-10T01:45:00.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

A debate has emerged in the Australian Senate regarding the Improved Native Forest Management Method (INFM), a legislative framework that allows states to earn carbon credits by opting out of commercial logging in public native forests.

In New South Wales, the NSW Greens and various environmental groups are advocating for federal support of the INFM. They argue the mechanism is vital to fund the creation of the Great Koala National Park on the mid-north coast, warning that opposing the motion could lock in logging for years. 

However, the proposal has caused significant internal division within the Greens and the broader environmental movement. Former leaders Bob Brown and Christine Milne have expressed opposition, with Brown stating that carbon trading should not be a prerequisite for establishing national parks. Critics, including The Australia Institute, suggest the method allows emitters to avoid actual cuts by using forest credits. 

As the Senate vote approaches, the Greens have engaged in negotiations with the Labor government to ensure carbon credits are not sold to fossil fuel projects and that revenue is tied directly to the park. The outcome is being viewed as a major climate test for the Greens and a proxy for wider debates regarding the utility of carbon credits under Australia’s climate policies.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-10: Australian Senate vote on carbon credits divides environmentalists

An upcoming Australian Senate vote on carbon credits for forest protection has split environmentalists, impacting the funding model for the proposed Great Koala National Park.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/australian-senate-vote-on-carbon-credits-divides-environmentalists

### 2026-09-07: NSW Greens urge federal support for carbon credits to protect koala habitats

NSW Greens are calling on federal senators to support carbon credit legislation to fund the Great Koala National Park and halt native logging, despite internal party opposition from figures like Bob Brown.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nsw-greens-urge-federal-support-for-carbon-credits-to-protect-koala-habitats

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Cite as: Australian Senate debate over forest carbon credits. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/australian-senate-debate-over-forest-carbon-credits