CARBON GUIDE FOR FOREST & FARM

Land managed to maximize the soil's capacity to hold CO2 and prevent it from dispersing into the atmosphere can offset “other people’s emissions (OPE). Landowners practicing such management can sell credits on carbon markets where the "other people" pay for the right to emit the amount of CO2 the well-managed land is storing. Will the phrase OPE (other people's emissions) become the 21st century equivalent of the 1980s’ OPM (other people’s money)?

Harnessing Farms and Forests in the Low-Carbon Economy
January 1, 2008 (Smart Growth Online)

WHO
Landowners, farmers, foresters, land managers, consultants, brokers, investors, regulators, and others involved in or interested in the emissions trading business.

Credits will become more valuable every year. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Harnessing Farms and Forests in the Low-Carbon Economy: How to Create, Measure, and Verify Greenhouse Gas Offsets explains explains how land CO2 storage capacity can be used to reduce emissions and generate profitable ''offsets'' for carbon markets. (Edited by Zack Willey and Bill Chameides of Environmental Defense)

WHEN
The pamphlet purports to be the first comprehensive and technical guide for sequestration and sequestration verification.

WHERE
Available cost-free HERE.

click to enlarge

WHY
- Credits for land use practices that reduce emissions are already traded on the voluntary Chicago Climate Exchange and the U.S. Senate is preparing to create a national mandatory cap-and-trade system.
- Land management practices can either maximize or ignore the sequestration of CO2, NO and other greenhouse gases (GHGs).
- Landowners can profit greatly if the land management practices they choose do not significantly lower income from the land but allow them to sell credits for “offsetting” other people’s emissions.
- Information in the guide: (1) non-technical explanation of costs and benefits of projects (2) quantifying methodologies under various situations and conditions; (3) project registration and verification; (4) technical specifics for quantifying, verifying, and regulating offsets.

The new pamphlet provides detailed info on how to maximize the land's earning power. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Pamphlet: “In 2003…Businesses and individuals seeking to limit or neutralize their carbon footprint, their impact on global warming, began to purchase offsets from other businesses and individuals who had found ways to reduce their own emissions. Local markets and exchanges, brokerages, registries and trading clubs sprouted up to meet the demand. However, the standards used to define the commodities to be traded varied wildly…”
- Pamphlet: The exte4nsive knowledge and guidance provided here will provide invaluable direction to farmers, foresters and other land managers, as well as consultants, brokers, investors and others interested in creating consistent, credible GHG offsets as a new tradable commodity in the United States. This guide will help make tangible a new economic opportunity for rural America…”