VATICAN WILL OFFSET HOLY EMISSIONS EVEN IF U.S.WON’T

In the effort to do the right thing about climate change, the Vatican is now officially on the side of the angels (and Al Gore). Which is not something that can be said of the US, China or India.

Vatican seeks to be carbon neutral
Elisabeth Rosenthal, September 3, 2007 (International Herald Tribune)

WHO
The Cardinals at the Vatican, Hungarian start-up carbon credit trader Klimafa

Vatican City -- the first carbon-neutral country in the world. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
The Vatican will become the world’s first carbon-neutral state. Klimafa will plant the 15 hectare (37-acre) Vatican Climate Forest, restoring an ancient forest, to help offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Church activities like airplane travel of pilgrims, heating and cooling offices and lighting St. Peter’s Basilica. Klimafa will donate the value of the credits to the Vatican.

WHEN
- The Vatican’s donation for the forest was made this summer.
- The Vatican installed a solar energy system this past spring.
- Klimafa was started a year-and-a-half ago.

WHERE
Vatican Climate Forest will be on an island in the Tisza river near Tiszakeszi, Hungary.

WHY
- Vatican Climate Forest will be managed by Hungarian scientists. The 225-hectare environmentally degraded, abandoned island is to be restored as native forest, improving the air and supplying jobs. 15 hectares paid for by the Vatican, other European governments and Dell computers also in on the planting.
- The scientists will help avoid pitfalls like the release of trapped CO2 from forest decay as well as take opportunities to create growth maximizing emission absorption.
- Tree planting is a controversial aspect of carbon offsets because it is hard to be sure exactly how much emissions they neutralize and forests neutralize less as they age. (Even more controversial is offsets for not cutting forests down.) Despite the controversy, it is considered important that companies like Klimafa and responsible entities like the Vatican dealing in “carbon credits” to establish some price for emissions.
- Carbon credits (1 credit = 1 ton of emissions) are selling on the EU market for 21 euros ($28). Klimafa’s donation is worth approximately 100,000 euros.
- Dell’s carbon credit purchase, because it is US- and not EU-based, is voluntary.
- Although European, Hungary has credits to sell because it has shut down many communist-era, high-emission factories and is restoring forests cleared in the middle ages.
- Klimafa is bidding to restore 9 forests in the former Eatern Bloc.

The landscape along the Tisza River, where ancient native forests will be restored, thank heaven.

QUOTES
- Cardinal Paul Poupard, head, Pontifical Council for Culture: "As the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, recently stated, the international community needs to respect and encourage a 'green culture'…The Book of Genesis tells us of a beginning in which God placed man as guardian over the earth to make it fruitful."
- Deal-broker David Gazdag, Planktos International: "It seems so obvious, but no one was doing it…"
- Laszlo Galhidy, forestry officer, WWF Hungary: "Planting forests will only compensate for a small fraction of emissions, even if you cover all of Hungary in young trees…People have only been thinking about offsetting for about 10 years…"
- Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca Alameda, Vatican Council for Culture: "One can emit less CO2 by not using heating and not driving a car, or one can do penance by intervening to offset emissions, in this case by planting trees…"