Ahead of announcing his proposed targets for carbon emissions cuts, Mr Garnaut said today that boosting biosequestration - via soil or vegetation - could have significant benefits in meeting those goals.

If such systems are recognised by the international community, it could drastically reduce the economic impact on conventional, high-polluting industries of having to cut their emissions.

Greens Leader Bob Brown has backed the call for greater natural sequestration to be included in the Government's plans.

"Professor Garnaut's call that better management of agricultural and forestry assets could be genuinely transformative, in both Australia's greenhouse gas mitigation efforts and the global response to climate change, is spot on and requires serious consideration," Senator Brown said.

"The recent Australian National University 'Green Carbon' report showed that an end to destruction of Australia's forests and woodlands could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a massive 24pc.

"This would have an immediate effect and outstrip an emissions trading scheme in reducing emissions rapidly and cheaply."