A tool to help reduce information 
barriers around carbon mitigation 
potential for landowners

LOOC-C helps make entry to carbon markets accessible for farmers 
and landowners.

Landscape Options and Opportunities 
for Carbon Abatement Calculator 
(LOOC-C) is a digital tool providing 
access to reliable estimates for carbon 
abatement potential to landowners.

The challenge 

Despite expectations that the land sector 
will contribute a large proportion of 
Australia’s reduction in greenhouse gas 
emissions (2030 goal 26-28% below 2005 
levels), starting a carbon farming project 
can be time and costly and a difficult 
process to navigate. 

LOOC-C was designed to address a 
critical information barrier to help users 
understand potential carbon farming 
options and take the first step.

The response 

Surveyed farmers and landowners 
indicated they wanted to understand 
the impact carbon farming would have 
on their business and if it would be 
worth their time and effort. In response, 
LOOC-C was developed to provide an 
initial estimate of mitigation potential 
in as little as 5 minutes. 

Importantly, LOOC-C empowers 
landowners with information regarding 
their specific block of land when 
seeking assistance to potentially enter 
carbon markets. It also is used by state 
and federal government agencies, 
establishing a common basis of 
understanding that results in improved 
market efficiencies.

LOOC-C also provides information 
on farm co-benefits such as farm 
profitability and farm resilience that are 
generated if the project is progressed.

Helping remove barriers 
to entry for landowners 
interested in carbon 
markets.

The impact 

LOOC-C is currently in use. An increase 
in usage nationally since mid-2020 
suggests the tool is gaining traction.

A recent independent evaluation 
projected that LOOC-C will catalyse 
an additional 11 to 36 Mt CO2-eq of 
emissions reductions between 2021 
and 2030, beyond what could occur in 
the absence of the tool. The net present 
value of this additional mitigation was 
valued at AUD $200 to $644 million 
using the current price of carbon. 
It estimated that for every $1 invested 
in LOOC-C, at least $50 in social benefits 
are expected to accrue.

Environment

Dr Peter Fitch

Team Leader

+61 2 6216 7017

peter.fitch@csiro.au