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How EAS is helping DCCEEW develop a national methodology for farm-level GHG emissions reporting
As Australia progresses toward a low-emissions economy, the introduction of mandatory climate-related disclosures in January 2025 marked a significant shift for businesses—particularly in the agricultural sector.
Australian agricultural entities captured under the new climate reporting rules face a problem of no single national method for estimating their emissions in a consistent and comparable way, highlighting a need for a standardised method to report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
To address this gap, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) engaged EAS to deliver a comprehensive methodology guidance for estimating and reporting Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions (excluding land use, land-use change and forestry, LULUCF) from Australian agricultural enterprises. This work forms a key component of the Voluntary Emissions Estimation and Reporting Guidelines (VEERG) for agriculture, fisheries and forestry.
A Need for Consistent Guidance for Agricultural Emissions
How agricultural enterprises estimate their emissions under the Mandatory Climate Reporting rules was not clear with no single inventory aligned method for estimating their emissions in a consistent and comparable way.
Across Australia, a variety of calculators and voluntary tools are available, but the methods behind these are often inconsistent, leading to widely differing emissions estimates for the same activity. This lack of alignment makes it difficult for agricultural entities to report emissions with confidence—and makes it difficult for government and industry to compare results.
DCCEEW required a robust, standardised methodology that could:
support farmers and advisors in generating accurate emissions estimates,
guide GHG tool developers toward consistent accounting approaches,
align with the National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) and international standards, and
improve overall quality and comparability of agricultural GHG reporting in Australia.
What DCCEEW Aims to Achieve
The goal is to create a unified, credible methodology that enables consistent GHG estimation and reporting across Australian agriculture.
The guidance will:
enhance farm-level GHG accounting capabilities,
improve quality and consistency of emissions calculation tools,
offer clear guidance on data sources, data quality and reporting requirements, and
set a standard for voluntary emissions estimation that could integrate seamlessly with mandatory disclosure frameworks
Ultimately, this work aims to build confidence in agricultural emissions data and support the sector through Australia’s climate reporting transition.
Why DCCEEW Chose EAS
DCCEEW selected EAS based on our:
deep expertise in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (NGGI) and international reporting frameworks,
comprehensive understanding of Australian agricultural systems,
practical experience working directly with farmers and tool developers, and
proven ability to translate complex methodologies into practical, implementable guidance
This combination of technical, industry and on-ground knowledge positioned EAS uniquely to deliver a method that was scientifically robust and farmer-friendly.
How EAS is Supporting DCCEEW
Ultimately, this partnership will strengthen GHG reporting in agriculture for Climate Related Disclosures. Our role is to develop a detailed emissions estimation and reporting methodology that:
aligns fully with the NGA and National Inventory Report (NIR),
supports the use of both farm-specific and default NIR data,
provides clear guidance on data collection, sources and quality control,
outlines reporting requirements and system boundaries (cradle-to-farm-gate/first-point-of-sale), and
enables Scope 1, 2 and 3 estimation for all major agricultural sectors
Sector Coverage
Tranche 1: Dairy cattle, Beef cattle (feedlot and grass-fed), Sheep, Cropping
Tranche 2: Pigs, Poultry, Other Livestock, Horticulture, Viticulture, Aquaculture, Wild-Sea Fisheries
A Collaborative Development Process
Part of the development process is to ensure relevant stakeholders and the public are engaged to provide feedback, which will provide opportunities for further methodology refinement. We will also work with other VEERG contributors to ensure alignment across the Common Reporting Framework (CRF)
This co-design approach ensured that the methodology is scientifically rigorous, practical to implement, and supported by those who will use it.
The Outcome
DCCEEW is now at the public consultation stage of Tranche 1 and is looking forward to finalising the comprehensive, standardised methodology guidance to support agricultural producers, advisors and tool developers to estimate and report GHG emissions with confidence.
Key milestones:
Tranche 1 public consultation: Late October 2025
Tranche 2 public consultation: Early March 2026
Final guidance publication: June 2026
Once adopted, the methodology will significantly improve the consistency, accuracy and comparability of agricultural emissions reporting across Australia—strengthening the sector’s readiness for mandatory climate disclosures.
Want to Learn More?
For updates and public consultation details, visit: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reporting/voluntary-emissions-estimation-reporting-standards
If you are looking for support with your Climate Related Disclosures, Measurement Reporting and Verification requirements, contact us.
Contact EAS: https://enviroaccounts.com/supply-chain-climate-disclosures/
Guidelines: https://consult.dcceew.gov.au/draft-ghg-emissions-guidelines-for-aff
Photo by Elaine Alex on Unsplash
