Queensland has become a national hotspot for land clearing, accounting for 50 to 65 per cent of the total loss of native forests in Australia over the past four decades, a report reveals.
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It comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed her government's vegetation management laws would be debated, and likely passed, next month.
More than 1 million hectares of woody vegetation, an area about seven times the size of Brisbane, was cleared in the three years to 2015-16, the Climate Council's latest report showed.
Climate Council spokesman Professor Will Steffen said Queensland's land-use sector was responsible for 19 million tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution in 2015.
"To put this in perspective, this equates to more than the total greenhouse gas pollution from Queensland's agriculture sector, or around 20 per cent of the greenhouse gas pollution from the state's entire energy sector, including electricity, stationary energy and transport."
Professor Steffen said proposed amendments to the Vegetation Management Act would, if passed, lead to a tripling of protected forest areas in Queensland, from an estimated 500,000 hectares to 1.8 million hectares, while simultaneously cutting greenhouse gas pollution levels.
Climate Council chief executive Martin Rice said the proposed bill was a significant opportunity for Queensland.
"If passed, this could lead to stronger protection for remnant and high conservation value vegetation, while also preventing the release of more greenhouse gases," Dr Rice said.
The Queensland government has reintroduced its vegetation management bill, which were defeated in its last term, but the controversial reverse onus of proof aspect has been removed.
With a majority in the house, Labor is expected to get its laws through.
The State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee recommended the bill be passed, in a report tabled on Monday night.
However, the LNP members of the committee said they opposed the bill, and complained about the limited timeframe to consider it, the amount of consultation with industry groups and land holders, the accuracy of tree clearing data and the impact it would have on agricultural production.
The committee received a staggering 13,000 submissions, although 13,100 of those were pro forma.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the government wanted to pass the bill by the end of May.
The Parliament next sits from May 1 to 3 and May 15 to 17.
Ms Palaszczuk said the laws struck the right balance between helping farmers and protecting the environment, and said it was an election commitment.
"The majority of farmers are doing the right thing, however we have seen very high rates of land clearing in this state and it's got to stop ... we want to stop broadscale clearing in this state," she said.
Queensland Conservation Council head Tim Seelig welcomed the report, although he wanted amendments, including ending area management plans.
"It will see the broadscale remnant clearing for spurious agricultural reasons, it will see the re-protection of high conservation value regenerating woodlands under a modified definition, and it will see a curtailing of remnant thinning," Dr Seelig said.
But farming groups are furious about the laws.
AgForce general president Grant Maudsley said the laws would make it harder for farmers to grow food and fibre, shut down agricultural development opportunities and lead to worse environmental outcomes.
"Farmers love and care for their land and the vast majority know how to manage it responsibly," he said.
Katter's Australian Party state leader Robbie Katter called on regional Queensland Labor MPs to cross the floor to vote against their party on the bill.
"These new laws will decimate graziers in north Queensland and there will be huge consequences for regional economies," he said.
Farmers plan to rally outside Parliament on Tuesday, ahead of the next sitting.
