Carbon Offsets and Carbon Offsets and Financial OpportunitiesFinancial Opportunities

Coastal Fertilization Program MeetingCoastal Fertilization Program Meeting

Kevin Astridge – Forest Practices BranchKevin Astridge – Forest Practices Branch

February 4February 4thth, 2008, 2008

Fertilization and Carbon Fertilization and Carbon SequestrationSequestration

Projected increase of 30 mProjected increase of 30 m33/ha of stemwood in /ha of stemwood in Coastal Douglas FirCoastal Douglas Fir

Weight of Wood 0.5 tonnesWeight of Wood 0.5 tonnes Wood is 50% CarbonWood is 50% Carbon Tonnes of Carbon/ha = 30x0.5x0.5 =Tonnes of Carbon/ha = 30x0.5x0.5 =

7.5 Tonnes C/ha7.5 Tonnes C/ha

Tonne of C0Tonne of C022/Tonne of C = 16+16+12/12/Tonne of C = 16+16+12/12

= 3.67= 3.67

Tonnes of C0Tonnes of C022/ha = 3.67 x 7.5 = 27.5/ha = 3.67 x 7.5 = 27.5

Fertilization and Green House Gas Fertilization and Green House Gas EmissionsEmissions

Fertilizer manufacture – 0.8 tonnes COFertilizer manufacture – 0.8 tonnes CO2e2e/ha/ha Transport – 0.014 tonnes COTransport – 0.014 tonnes CO2e2e/ha /ha Application – 0.016 tonnes COApplication – 0.016 tonnes CO2e2e/ha/ha Applied Nitrogen conversion to GHG = 0.95 Applied Nitrogen conversion to GHG = 0.95

tonnes COtonnes CO2e2e/ha/ha Total COTotal CO2e2e/ha = 1.79 tonnes CO/ha = 1.79 tonnes CO2e2e/ha/ha

(Scott, Perry, Winter – BC Forest Professional (Scott, Perry, Winter – BC Forest Professional January-February 2009)January-February 2009)

Value of Carbon OffsetsValue of Carbon Offsets

Chicago Climate ExchangeChicago Climate Exchange North America’s first cap and trade systemNorth America’s first cap and trade system Offers futures and options on emission allowancesOffers futures and options on emission allowances Current price $2.15 US/tonneCurrent price $2.15 US/tonne

European Climate ExchangeEuropean Climate Exchange Current price 15.70 Euros/tonneCurrent price 15.70 Euros/tonne

Montreal Climate ExchangeMontreal Climate Exchange Current price $9.00/tonneCurrent price $9.00/tonne

Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets ActAct

Brought into force January 1Brought into force January 1stst, 2008, 2008 Legislates Greenhouse Gas reduction targets Legislates Greenhouse Gas reduction targets

for British Columbiafor British Columbia Commits to a Carbon neutral public sector by Commits to a Carbon neutral public sector by

20102010

Pacific Carbon TrustPacific Carbon Trust

Provincial Crown corporation set up to acquire Provincial Crown corporation set up to acquire credible greenhouse gas offsetscredible greenhouse gas offsets

Offsets used to meet government carbon-Offsets used to meet government carbon-neutral public sector by 2010neutral public sector by 2010

Acquire offsets from projects that meet Acquire offsets from projects that meet eligibility criteria as defined by the Emission eligibility criteria as defined by the Emission Offsets RegulationOffsets Regulation

Emissions Offset RegulationEmissions Offset Regulation

Order In Council approved December 8Order In Council approved December 8 thth, 2008, 2008 Sets out requirements for greenhouse gas Sets out requirements for greenhouse gas

reduction or removal project to be recognized reduction or removal project to be recognized as offsetsas offsets AdditionalityAdditionality Monitoring and validationMonitoring and validation Risk mitigation and contingency plan for reversalsRisk mitigation and contingency plan for reversals Ensure greenhouse gas removals endure for a Ensure greenhouse gas removals endure for a

period of 100 yearsperiod of 100 years

Challenges Challenges

Fertilizing results in Fertilizing results in additional carbon additional carbon sequestrationsequestration

Harvesting prior to 100 Harvesting prior to 100 years creates reversalyears creates reversal

Offsets would have to Offsets would have to be replacedbe replaced

Carbon AccountingCarbon Accounting

Half-life of wood products is the time it takes half of Half-life of wood products is the time it takes half of a type of wood product to be removed from servicea type of wood product to be removed from service Construction lumber: 67-100 yearsConstruction lumber: 67-100 years Other lumber: 6-30 yearsOther lumber: 6-30 years Paper products: 1-6 yearsPaper products: 1-6 years ResiduesResidues LandfillLandfill

(Ter-Mikaelian et al. Forestry Chronicle 2008; Chen et al (Ter-Mikaelian et al. Forestry Chronicle 2008; Chen et al CJFR 2008)CJFR 2008)

Carbon AccountingCarbon Accounting

Increased volume allows the possibility of:Increased volume allows the possibility of: Substitution of wood for more energy intensive Substitution of wood for more energy intensive

building materialsbuilding materials Substitution of woody biofuels to substitute for Substitution of woody biofuels to substitute for

fossil fuelsfossil fuels These types of offsets accumulate annually – These types of offsets accumulate annually –

cascading carbon poolscascading carbon pools

The Below Ground PoolThe Below Ground Pool

After harvest cut blocks are initially sources of After harvest cut blocks are initially sources of COCO22

Studies in Prince George sub-boreal spruce Studies in Prince George sub-boreal spruce forests indicate that plantations become sinks forests indicate that plantations become sinks at around 8-10 years of ageat around 8-10 years of age

How does fertilization affect the below ground How does fertilization affect the below ground Carbon pool and when a stand achieves Carbon pool and when a stand achieves “carbon green-up”? “carbon green-up”?

(Fredeen et al. For. Ecol. and Man. 2007)(Fredeen et al. For. Ecol. and Man. 2007)

SummarySummary

Fertilization results in additional carbon sequestrationFertilization results in additional carbon sequestration A portion of the carbon fixed may be long lived A portion of the carbon fixed may be long lived

enough to claim offsetsenough to claim offsets 27.5 tonnes/ha x $20 = $550/ha 27.5 tonnes/ha x $20 = $550/ha How much of the above can we legitimately claim?How much of the above can we legitimately claim?

We need an understanding of the time dynamics of We need an understanding of the time dynamics of forest carbon pools in order to dependably account forest carbon pools in order to dependably account for offsets and how forests can be managed to for offsets and how forests can be managed to optimize both wood yield and carbon storageoptimize both wood yield and carbon storage