The Aboriginal Carbon Foundation has renewed its partnership with general insurer IAG to continue strengthening community resilience as the risk of bushfire increases.
The partnership sees IAG support the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation (ACF) in its mission to increase awareness and adoption of cultural land management to strengthen community resilience as the climate changes.
Since initially forging the partnership with IAG in 2022, ACF says it has expanded its cultural fire service capacity, delivering tangible economic benefits to Indigenous peoples and Traditional Owner groups who undertake the specialised work.
The 100 per cent Aboriginal owned not-for-profit was established in 2010 to create economic independence for First Nations peoples through a variety of innovative solutions, including carbon farming opportunities and cultural fire credits.
Aboriginal Carbon Foundation CEO, Rowan Foley, said the Foundation was grateful for IAG's continued support "and their recognition of cultural land management as an important mitigation tool to care for Country and communities".
"Through deepening understanding of Aboriginal land management practices, we will drive greater uptake and create safer communities," Mr Foley said.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Aboriginal Carbon Foundation (@aboriginal_carbon_found_abcf)
"This will also generate community unity, prosperity and wellbeing for First Nations peoples, enabling them to fulfill their aspirations and dreams for community and Country."
Cultural burns — burning practices developed by Aboriginal people to enhance the health of the land and its people — leverage some 65,000 years of ancestral knowledge.
IAG says the practise reduces fire risk and emits less greenhouse gas than other hazard reduction techniques while maintaining soil and biodiversity health.
IAG Executive Manager Group Sustainability & Climate Action, Amy Hogan, commended the partnership's extension.
"We are delighted to continue working with the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation and look forward to helping advance conversations with industry and government around the community and environmental benefits of cultural burning as a preventative tool in mitigating bushfire risk," Ms Hogan said.
Despite the progress, IAG said challenges remain around the integration of cultural land management with mainstream emergency management frameworks, legislative restrictions and insurance solutions.
It's recently released Severe Weather in a Changing Climate Report highlighted the threat to both natural and built environments is growing faster than climate models had previously projected, with increased bushfire risk to communities and infrastructure at the bushland-urban interface3.
The report also found bushfire weather risks are escalating at a fast pace as climate change drives hotter, drier and more fire-prone conditions.
IAG said rising temperatures are leading to more days with extreme weather conditions conducive to uncontrollable bushfires, while shifting rainfall patterns are reducing soil and fuel moisture in some areas, creating continuous, fire-supportive landscapes.
More information about the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation's story and vision is available online.
