Comprehensive review of carbon quantification by improved forest management offset protocols

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 6

Published: March 21, 2023

Improved forest management (IFM) has the potential to remove and store large quantities of carbon from atmosphere. Around world, 293 IFM offset projects have produced 11% credits by voluntary registries date, channeling substantial climate mitigation funds into projects. This paper summarizes state scientific literature for key quality criteria—additionality, baselines, leakage, durability, accounting—and discusses how well currently used protocols align with this literature. Our analysis identifies important areas where deviate understanding related risk reversal, accounting in forests harvested wood products, risking significant over-estimation credits. We recommend specific improvements that would likely result more accurate estimates program impact, identify need research. Most importantly, conservative baselines can substantially reduce, but not resolve, over-crediting multiple factors.

Language: Английский

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Australian human-induced native forest regeneration carbon offset projects have limited impact on changes in woody vegetation cover and carbon removals

Communications Earth & Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 5(1)

Published: March 26, 2024

Abstract Carbon offsets are a widely used climate policy instrument that can reduce mitigation costs and generate important environmental social co-benefits. However, they increase emissions if lack integrity. We analysed the performance of one world’s largest nature-based offset types: human-induced regeneration projects under Australia’s carbon scheme. The supposed to involve permanent even-aged native forests through changes in land management. 182 found limited evidence credited areas. Changes woody vegetation cover within areas have been also largely mirror adjacent comparison areas, outside projects, suggesting observable predominantly attributable factors other than project activities. results add growing literature highlighting practical limitations potential for schemes credit abatement is non-existent, non-additional potentially impermanent.

Language: Английский

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Using remote sensing to quantify the additional climate benefits of California forest carbon offset projects

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 28(22), P. 6789 - 6806

Published: Sept. 12, 2022

Nature-based climate solutions are a vital component of many mitigation strategies, including California's, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. Most offsets in California's cap-and-trade program come from improved forest management (IFM) projects. Since 2012, various landowners have set up IFM projects following the California Air Resources Board's protocol. As these approach their 10th year, we now opportunity assess effectiveness, identify best practices, and suggest improvements toward future protocol revisions. In this study, used remote sensing-based datasets evaluate trends harvest histories 37 California. Despite some current limitations biases, can be quantify accumulation rates offset project lands relative nearby similar "control" before after began. Five lines evidence that accumulated date has generally not been additional what might otherwise occurred: (1) most forests northwestern accumulating since at least mid-1980s continue accumulate carbon, whether enrolled or not; (2) were high large timber company initiation, suggesting they earning credits for recovery; (3) often located on with higher densities low-timber-value species; (4) yet increased enroll as projects, pre-enrollment levels; (5) decreased initiation. These patterns should robustly measure reward additionality. general, our framework geospatial analyses offers an important independent means effectiveness program, especially data products improving receive attention strategy.

Language: Английский

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Heavy reliance on private finance alone will not deliver conservation goals

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 7(9), P. 1339 - 1342

Published: June 12, 2023

Language: Английский

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Toward quantification of the feasible potential of land-based carbon dioxide removal

One Earth, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 6(12), P. 1638 - 1651

Published: Dec. 1, 2023

Global climate-change overshoot scenarios, where warming exceeds Paris Agreement limits before being brought back down, are highly dependent on land-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR). In the Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), such scenarios supported by optimistic global assessments of technical and economic potential for CDR. However, a further type potential—the "feasible" potential, which includes socio-cultural, environmental, institutional factors—is noted in AR6 but not quantified. Here, we set out research frameworks to work toward quantification this feasible potential. We first argue that quantifying will substantially reduce current assessed CDR Second, demonstrate how transdisciplinary methods improving understanding feasibility constraints Third, explore synthesizing these advances during next IPCC assessment process. conclude community should carefully consider use techno-economic evidence policymakers.

Language: Английский

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Forest carbon offset protocols in compliance carbon markets

Forest Policy and Economics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 165, P. 103253 - 103253

Published: May 29, 2024

Language: Английский

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Little evidence of management change in California’s forest offset program

Communications Earth & Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 4(1)

Published: Sept. 21, 2023

Abstract Carbon offsets are widely promoted as a strategy to lower the cost of emission reductions, but recent findings suggest that may not causally reduce emissions by amount claimed. In compliance market, increase net if they do reflect real reductions beyond baseline scenario. Few studies have examined additionality forest carbon within California’s U.S. Forest Projects offset protocol, one largest programs in world. Here we examine protocol. Since 2012, most credits (84%) been awarded improved management projects. Using database project characteristics, locations, and remotely sensed disturbance data indicative activity, find projects primarily allocated forests with high stocks (127% higher than regional averages) low historical (28% less averages since 1985). A matching panel regression analysis failed show additionality, creation did significantly rates 3 5 years after implementation relative similar non-project lands. These results indicate protocol contribute an increasingly large debt.

Language: Английский

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Carbon ‘known not grown’: Reforesting Scotland, advanced measurement technologies, and a new frontier of mitigation deterrence

Environmental Science & Policy, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 151, P. 103636 - 103636

Published: Nov. 18, 2023

Drones, lasers and satellites measure forests with seemingly unprecedented detail. In Scotland, private companies are bringing these Advanced Measurement Technologies (AMTs) from ecological science to market. Companies offer landowners the chance independently verify natural capital commodities, such as woodland carbon credits, using technologies. Drawing 61 interviews stakeholders in Scottish land sector, alongside six months of ethnographic research, this paper explores climate governance consequences high-tech forest measurement. The argument develops well-established premise within environmental STS that technologies' apparent objectivity impartiality obscures political-economic motivations shaping their use. AMTs reflexively developed generate increased financial value creation schemes. find more than standard measurement practices allow. Carbon is 'known not grown': numerous legitimate credits can be created through a shift knowledge rather material nature-based sequestration. Three epistemic processes allow for grown'. Firstly, volume identified by sophisticated techniques. Secondly, conservative estimates bypassed because perceived precision AMTs. Thirdly, AMT developers cultivate situated form accuracy drawing upon selective uptake science. This argues grown' novel type mitigation deterrence. It dangerous yet increasingly widespread phenomenon neoliberal requires further empirical investigation.

Language: Английский

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Systematic assessment of the achieved emission reductions of carbon crediting projects

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Nov. 14, 2024

Abstract Carbon markets play an important role in firms’ and governments’ climate strategies. crediting mechanisms allow project developers to earn carbon credits through mitigation projects. Several studies have raised concerns about environmental integrity, though a systematic evaluation is missing. We synthesized relying on experimental or rigorous observational methods, covering 14 2346 projects 51 investigating similar field interventions implemented without issuing credits. The analysis covers one-fifth of the credit volume issued date, almost 1 billion tons CO 2 e. estimate that less than 16% investigated constitute real emission reductions, with 11% for cookstoves, SF 6 destruction, 25% avoided deforestation, 68% HFC-23 abatement, no statistically significant reductions from wind power improved forest management need be reformed fundamentally meaningfully contribute change mitigation.

Language: Английский

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Soil carbon offset markets are not a just climate solution

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 22(7)

Published: July 1, 2024

There is growing interest in enhancing soil carbon sequestration (SCS) as a climate mitigation strategy, including neutralizing atmospheric emissions from fossil‐fuel combustion through the development of offset markets. Several studies have focused on refining estimates magnitude potential SCS or developing methods for quantification We call scientists and policy makers to resist assimilating soils into markets due not only fundamental flaws logic these reach neutrality but also environmental justice concerns. Here, we first highlight how rely an inappropriate substitution inert fossil with dynamic stocks carbon. then note failure account intersecting anthropogenic perturbations cycle, debt ongoing agricultural emissions. Next, invite consider functions beyond productivity profitability. Finally, describe support historical opposition by advocates. encourage their research communications can promote diverse just climate‐change mitigation.

Language: Английский

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