Assessing potential contributions of 'nature-based climate solutions' to Australia's emissions reductions goal

To avoid dangerous levels of global warming, society must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero, and beyond that into ‘negative emissions’, so that atmospheric CO2 concentrations start to fall. The two ways to achieve negative emissions are either by industrial processes that capture CO2 from the atmosphere, or via ‘natural’ or ‘nature based’ climate solutions (NCS), where ecosystems are restored or managed so that they absorb and store more carbon.
The aim of my PhD is to assess the scale and scope for 'nature-based climate solutions' to contribute to Australia's emissions reductions goal. This will be answered by considering the following research questions:

• What is the potential scale and scope of NCS in Australia?
• What trends are observable in NCS projects accredited to date, and do these indicate any barriers to NCS?
• What design features of Australia’s emissions trading architecture are needed to create the optimum framework and greatest potential for ‘nature-based climate solutions’?