June 1, 2012. Australia can accept United Nations emission offsets in its planned carbon market through 2020 and potentially beyond because it's already signed up to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, said one of the nation's climate negotiators. The potential extension of Kyoto targets beyond 2012 and rules governing the creation of offset credits were separate articles of the agreement. Australia's demand for offset credits in the five years through 2020 may be about 350 million metric tons. UN Certified Emission Reduction credits for 2013 dropped to a record 3.63 euros ($4.51) a ton on May 30 on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London on expectations of flagging demand and rising supply. The UN expects Australia to decide this year whether it will join an extension of the protocol planned for at least five years starting 2013.