Improved assessment of baseline and additionality for forest carbon crediting

Article Biodiversity Conservation

Systematic over-crediting in California's forest carbon offsets program

Grayson Badgley et al.

Summary: The forest carbon offsets program in California is awarding excessive offset credits based on carbon stocks that exceed regional averages, creating incentives for project developers to select forests that are ecologically distinct from the region. This leads to systematic over-crediting and the creation of offset credits that do not reflect real climate benefits, with an estimated value of $410 million at recent market prices.

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY (2022)

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Article Forestry

Inclusion of forestry offsets in emission trading schemes: insights from global experts

Anil Shrestha et al.

Summary: ETSs have been central to international climate change policies as a tool for achieving emission reduction targets through carbon pricing. Forest carbon offset credits have been used in many ETSs to efficiently meet these targets, but there is little knowledge about the perceptions, experiences, and challenges associated with forest carbon offsetting. Respondents from North America, New Zealand, and Chinese pilot schemes generally support including forestry carbon offsets in ETS, while European experts are not supportive. Major challenges cited include leakage, permanence, additionality, and monitoring design features, with Chinese pilot schemes facing unique challenges related to implementation.

JOURNAL OF FORESTRY RESEARCH (2022)

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Article Biodiversity Conservation

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

Shane R. Coffield et al.

Summary: This study used remote sensing-based datasets to evaluate the carbon trends and harvest histories of 37 Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects in California. It found that the carbon accumulated in these projects generally did not exceed what might have occurred naturally. Therefore, the current protocol should be improved to better measure and reward additionality.

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY (2022)

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Review Ecology

Improved forest management as a natural climate solution: A review

Lilli Kaarakka et al.

Summary: Natural climate solutions (NCS) are cost-effective strategies to increase carbon (C) sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. Improved forest management (IFM) is identified as an NCS with substantial climate change mitigation potential, but there is a disconnect between policy context and scientific evidence for verifiable C benefits. Forest soil C has been largely excluded from current forest management guidelines and IFM discourse, but there is potential for IFM practices to enhance forest C storage.

ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE (2021)

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Article Ecology