Australia Considers Killing Camels for Carbon Credits

by | Jun 10, 2011

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Under Australia’s Carbon Farming Initiative, a plan to help combat emissions that was recently submitted to parliament, Adelaide-based company Northwest Carbon has suggested the nation solve its feral camel crisis by allowing companies and individuals to receive carbon credits for shooting camels by helicopter or truck, or herding them and taking them to slaughterhouses, Time Magazine reports.

The camels could be processed for pet food or human consumption, and the carbon credits earned could be sold to domestic or foreign polluting companies.

Camel populations could be releasing the equivalent of 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year by 2020.

Each camel’s death is estimated to yield an “emissions avoidance benefit” of about 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, The Australian reports.

An examination of the feral camel problem is given by the Federal Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities National Feral Camel Action Plan.

The CFI bill is expected to go before parliament for debate early week.

Photo credit: John O’Neil

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