Woodland Carbon Code Requirements for voluntary carbon sequestration schemes

Chris Waterfield - Forestry Commission

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

Development

• Developed over last 3 years – FC lead

• Piloted early 2011 both projects and certification bodies

• Launched July 2011

• FC leading development with a Carbon Advisory Group

• Science input from FR and wider

• However it is still developing

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

Why have a Woodland Carbon Code?

•Increasing interest in using woodlands to capture carbon

•There was no uniform standard, consistency or clarity in UK carbon projects

•Some potential investors were cautious

•Woodland creation is cost-

effective climate change

mitigation

•The UK government wishes

to encourage private funding

of woodland creation.

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

It’s not just about carbon….

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

What might the WCC do?

Construct a framework that may support a

compliance market for woodland

carbon credits in the future

Reassure the

market and

investors about

voluntary

woodland carbon

projects

Offer clarity and

transparency to customers

Provide rigorous carbon

measurement protocols

Encourage a consistent approach to

woodland carbon projects

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

How it fits in

• All UK woodland creation reported in the UK’s GHG emissions inventory (as per Kyoto)

• UK govt doesn’t allow Kyoto ‘offsets’ in the UK

• DEFRA GHG reporting guidelines

now allow companies to report

carbon sequestration in the UK

• Code doesn’t create carbon ‘offsets’

that can be traded in EU ETS or used

in Carbon Reduction Commitment.

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

The Code - Scope

Includes:

• Woodland creation

• Carbon sequestration and emissions within a woodland

Doesn’t include:

• Changes to management of existing woodlands

• Carbon stored in forest products

• Substitution effects (wood products or fuel)

• Avoided emissions from previous landuse

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

What to count?

Baseline – Changes to carbon within project boundary in the absence of the project

Leakage – Ongoing emissions outside project boundary as result of project

Project Carbon Sequestration – Changes to carbon within project boundary as a result of the project

Includes Sequestration/emission from:

Tree Biomass, Non-tree biomass, Soil, Management

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

Applying

• Employ an agent/carbon company?

• Design your project

• Register your project

• Get certified (Project Validated at outset)

• Stay certified (Project Verified every 5 years)

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

Certification

• 2 certification bodies SFQC, SGS will be accredited to assess projects

• Accredited by UK Accreditation Service

• Projects validated at outset

• Projects verified at 5-yearly intervals

• Project has unique ID and current status appears in Registry.

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

Progress to date

Detailed best practice requirements & guidance developed

Pilot programme completed

Code launched in July 2011

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

Progress to date:

• 39 Projects registered

• Hope to create > 2,200ha new woodland which over next 100 years will sequester >750,000 tCO2e

• Of the 39 …..

• 3 projects validated

• Will create > 300ha new woodland which over next 100 years will sequester > 115,000 tCO2e

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

Future Developments

• Group scheme for certification: Pilot 2012

• Further developments to carbon measurement tools

• More interactive model + carbon lookup tables

• More work on soil carbon

• Further work to clarify permanence

• Legal aspects

• Carbon reporting & Market development

• Developing a register of carbon units (tCo2e) - Markit?

• Economic Appraisal Model

• Looking at novel models for encouraging investment

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode

E: climatechange@forestry.gov.uk W: www.forestry.gov.uk/carboncode