Frequently Asked Questions.

When undertaken with high standards of measurement and integrity, carbon abatement projects can also have a positive impact on ecosystems, society, and the economy, in addition to reducing or avoiding emissions (hence the term "co-benefit"). These co-benefits can include improving the state of nature and ecosystem condition, biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration, enhancing soil health, managing water resources, and improving fire management.

Carbon units are increasingly viewed as more valuable when derived from projects that credibly demonstrate significant social or environmental co-benefits, compared to those generated from projects with neutral or unknown social, cultural, or environmental outcomes. Moreover, verifying environmental co-benefits can provide additional confidence that environmental assets are improving, which helps to better understand the positive impact generated by a carbon abatement project.

Expectations for corporate transparency, nature-risk and opportunity disclosure, and accountability regarding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risks are increasing worldwide. This trend is driven by pressure from investors and guided by initiatives such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD). The evolving approach to ESG risk is shaping corporate reporting best practices and broadening awareness of how ESG factors can impact existing operations, assets, and brand image. Beyond mere compliance, corporations are increasingly motivated to improve their ESG integrity to promote their brands as trustworthy and socially responsible. This approach helps corporations differentiate themselves and fosters greater interest in voluntary markets that aim to achieve positive environmental and social outcomes.

There is growing recognition of the value of a carbon project in which the investor or purchaser can also make public claims regarding its contribution to other ‘co-benefits’ alongside the carbon emissions reduction outcomes. This is particularly relevant in voluntary markets, where there is a stronger emphasis on these broader benefits compared to many compliance markets, which often prioritise the lowest-cost abatement. The increasing focus by governments on promoting carbon abatement and environmental restoration projects presents new opportunities to establish formal systems for assigning a credible and bankable value to environmental and social benefits. These benefits can arise from emission reduction projects with significant co-benefits, as well as standalone environmental protection and restoration activities.

CarbonPlus has been designed to compliment carbon units issued from carbon projects implementing nature-based solutions to sequester and store carbon, such as vegetation management methods or soil sequestration methods.

Projects that deliver both carbon abatement and measurable improvements to biodiversity, habitat quality, or ecosystem health can use CarbonPlus to quantify and verify the nature impacts.

All nature outcomes are measured and certified using the Accounting for Nature® Framework. Environmental Asset Accounts are designed using the Framework’s 5-step process. Through this process they apply an Accredited Method to ensure scientific credibility. The method must be applied at a high (90%) or very high (95%) accuracy level to be eligible for use under CarbonPlus.

Certified Environmental Asset Accounts must also undergo an independent audit certification pathway using a third party Accredited Auditor.

Yes, CarbonPlus labelled units are designed to meet net zero and nature impact commitments—aligning with frameworks like Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and Science Based Target Network (SBTN).

Certified Asset Accounts that undertake regular monitoring of the state of nature and/or can demonstrate an improvement in environmental condition can provide robust evidence to support environmental co-benefit claims associated with ACCUs.

Carbon projects that have issued Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), hold a Certified Environmental Asset Account from Accounting for Nature and meet the Carbon Linking Rules criteria can have their CarbonPlus labelled units issued within weeks from submitting their application. The first cohort of CarbonPlus labelled units are anticipated to be available on the public registry by mid to late August 2025.

Yes, there is a growing demand from companies and investors seeking high-integrity carbon credits that also deliver positive impacts to nature.

Price is available on application and is negotiated depending on individual requirements and volume.

The cost for a Certified Environmental Account under the Accounting for Nature® Framework is outlined in the Fee Schedule.

All CarbonPlus labelled units are recorded and disclosed through a public registry - the Nxt.Registry.

This registry provides transparency by publishing:

• Key details of the Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs)

• The Certified Environmental Asset Accounts linked to the carbon units

The public registry ensures that investors, buyers, regulators, and the community can verify that CarbonPlus labelled claims are backed by certified, independently-audited data.

You’ll be able to search and view these records via nxtnature.com/nxtregistry.

Carbon projects that demonstrate co-benefits are often more valuable than those that focus solely on carbon abatement. However, the additional value can be difficult to quantify due to the lack of standardisation and the limited tools available to carbon project developers for making scientifically rigorous measurements and verifying co-benefit outcomes. The inability to credibly and consistently measure outcomes in the state of nature limits the capacity for reliable claims regarding co-benefits. It makes it more challenging to determine the value of the co-benefits, which are typically determined through private negotiation (over-the-counter).

Certified Environmental Asset Accounts can overcome these issues by using standardised & scientifically rigorous monitoring methods that quantify the environmental condition using the Econd®. By transparently disclosing and verifying nature outcomes through independent audits nature impacts can be measured, compared and validated.