The inaugural agreement kick-starts the sale of carbon-neutral LNG through an online trading platform, which the Shanghai exchange described as a "global innovation."
(Source: Shanghai Oil and Gas Exchange, Kallanish, 23 June, 2020) Contact: CNOOC Gas & Power, www.cnooc.com.cn
More Low-Carbon Energy News LNG, Alternative Fuel, Carbon Neutral Fuel, Carbon Credit,
In January, BofA reported it achieved carbon neutrality a year ahead of schedule by reducing their location-based emissions by 52 pct since 2010, by purchasing 100 pct of their electricity from renewable sources, and, for unavoidable emissions, purchasing high-quality, third-party verified carbon credits. The bank also plans to transition away from purchasing unbundled renewable energy credits (RECS).
Under its Environmental Business Initiative (EBI), the bank has deployed $145 billion to low-carbon sustainable activities since 2007, with another $300 billion committed to these efforts until 2030. (Source: Bank of America, April, 2020) Contact: Bank of America, www.bankofamerica.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Bank of America, Climate Change, Carbon Neutral,
The Family Forest Carbon Program offers a practice-based approach, where landowners are given incentive payments to implement science-based sustainable forest practices guaranteed to produce additional carbon sequestration. This unique, practice-based methodology takes into account the constraints of small forest ownership, yet is more credible and scalable, to allow small landowners to contribute at a landscape level. The program also provides a range of co-benefits that address biodiversity, forest health, water quality, ecosystem resilience and related issues.
Download Family Forest Carbon Program details HERE .
(Source: American Forest Foundation, Sustainable Brands, Mar. Apr., 2020) Contact: Family Forest Carbon Program, Tom Martin,
President & CEO, 202-765-3472,
tmartin@forestfoundation.org,
www.forestfoundation.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News American Forest Foundation, Carbon Credits, ,
Accordingly, the ICAO
will allow airlines to purchase CO2 offset units from six programs under CORSIA in order to meet its emissions reduction targets up to 2023. The approved schemes include the U.N. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), the Gold Standard and the Verified Carbon Standard.
Carbon Offsets under the CORSIA mechanism are set to be established using total emissions for 2019 and 2020 as the baseline.. (Source: ICAO, GreenBiz, 18 Mar., 2020) Contact: ICAO, Secretary General Fang Liu, www.icao.in
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Offset, Carbon Credits, Aviation Emissions, CORSIA, International Civil Aviation Organization,
To that end, EY will focus on reducing travel emissions, sustainable procurement practices and purchasing more renewable energy to power EY offices. It will also purchase carbon credits to offset the EY carbon footprint and invest in projects that reduce carbon emissions or remove carbon from the atmosphere, for example reforestation projects. The company is also expanding its global sustainability strategy which will focus on helping clients innovate and use technology to reduce their own carbon emissions, while driving sustainable economic growth. To date the company has:
To that end, the PM announced the formation of an official inquiry to investigate and make recommendations on emissions reduction and building better resilience and adaption to climate events such as fire, drought, floods and cyclones.
However, the PM emphasized, reducing carbon emissions required a "balanced and global response because even if Australia shut down all its power-generation assets, the equivalent amount of emissions would be produced by China in just nine days." (Source:Office of Australian Prime Minister Scott MorrisonFinancial Review, 13 Jan., 2020) Contact: Office of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, www.pm.gov.au
More Low-Carbon Energy News Australia Climate Change, Carbon Credits ,
This includes offsetting all net emissions from Project Sunrise, the carrier's plan to operate non-stop flights from the east coast of Australia to London and New York, should the project proceed. This will also extend to domestic flying, meaning that growth on key routes like Melbourne-Sydney will be carbon neutral.
Qantas will work with industry, research institutions and governments to develop the long-term solutions to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry over the next three decades. The airline currently operates the largest carbon offset program in the aviation industry, with around 10 pct of customers booking flights on Qantas.com choosing to offset their flights.
This additional investment will see Qantas Future Planet, which is already the largest private sector buyer of Australian carbon credits, support more conservation and environmental projects in Australia and around the world. Existing projects include protecting the Great Barrier Reef, working with Indigenous communities to reduce wildfires in Western Australia and securing over 7000 hectares of native Tasmanian forest.
Additionally, Qantas will invest $50 million over the next ten years to support the sustainable aviation fuel industry and continue to reduce its emissions through continued investment in more fuel efficient aircraft, more efficient operations and smarter flight planning to reduce fuel burn.
(Source: Qantas Group, RusTourism News, 11 Nov., 2019)
Contact: Qantas Group, Alan Joyce, CEO, (02) 9691 3636, info@qantas.com, www.qantas.com/au/en.html
More Low-Carbon Energy News Qantas Group, Aviation Emissions,
The government is committed to planting 11 million trees by 2022, as part of its effort to hit net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 to tackle climate change.
Under the new scheme, farmers can sell the carbon dioxide they capture by growing trees in the form of Woodland Carbon Units (verified carbon credits) to the government for a guaranteed price every five or 10 years up to 2055/56. (Source: DEFRA, Farmers Weekly, 5 Nov., 2019) Contact: Woodland Carbon Guarantee, www.gov.uk/guidance/woodland-carbon-guarantee;
DEFRA, www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
More Low-Carbon Energy News DEFRA, Climate Change, Reforestation, Carbon Emissions,
These credits, when approved, will be eligible under the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) regime. Each tradable token will be backed by one equivalent tonne of CORSICA-compliant, highly liquid and tradable carbon credits. AirCarbon is applying for the recognized market operator (RMO) licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and aims for the exchange to be fully operational in 2020.
AirCarbon also operates the AirCarbon Fund, an investment fund which invests in carbon-mitigating projects such as reforestation, methane capture and carbon emissions reduction. Through these projects, the fund intends to generate CORSIA-compliant tradable carbon offsets, which will then be listed on the exchange.
(Source: AirCarbon Pte, Business Times, 30 Oct., 2019)
Contact: AirCarbon Pte Ltd., www.aircarbon.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credit, EEUs, Carbon Offset, ICAO,
The flights used a 30/70 blend of low-carbon, drop-in SAF and traditional, petroleum-based Jet A fuel. The emissions associated with using 70 pct Jet A were more than offset by the company's purchase, for a per-flight-hour fee, of verified emission reduction (VERs) credits through a third-party offset provider. The offsets represented more than 200 percent of the carbon emitted during the trip. (Source: Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., PR, 21 Oct., 2019) Contact: Gulfstream Aerospace, www.culfstream.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credits, VERs, Carbon Neutral,
The Index tracks the performance of the largest, most liquid and most accessible tradable carbon markets -- the European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS), the California Cap-and-Trade Program, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The index is calculated using OPIS data and carbon credit futures pricing in those markets.
The IHS Markit Global Carbon Index was developed in consultation with Climate Finance Partners, a specialist in climate finance.
IHS Markit is also well known for its daily OPIS Carbon Market Report, national carbon policies database and for developing industry standard methodologies for greenhouse gas accounting and disclosures. Its research and expertise on carbon policy impact, low-carbon and cleantech technologies and carbon risk management guide companies in energy, petrochemical, automotive, shipping, agriculture and other sectors critical to the global economy.
(Source: IHS Markit , 25 Sept., 2019)
Contact: IHS Markit, www.ihsmarkit.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News RGGI, EU ETS, IHS Markit Carbon Market, Carbon Credit,
The voyage was completed by the car carrier Aries Leader which is equipped with the latest energy-saving technologies, which the company claims reduces CO2 emissions per unit by 30 pct compared with existing large pure car carriers, comparing emissions on a per car basis. In this initiative, the remaining CO2 emissions not yet eliminated by technology were offset by carbon credits.
(Source: NYK, PR, Sept., 2019) Contact: NYK Line, www.nyk.com › english
More Low-Carbon Energy News Maritime Emissions, Carbon-Neutral,
The Quito airport Operator, Corporacion Quiport, joined the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme in 2015 and has achieved carbon-neutral status through concrete actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce fuel consumption, increase energy efficiency, improve water management, maintain conservation areas for flora and fauna and more. The Quito Airport's 2018 carbon footprint was calculated at 3,273 tons of CO2 emissions, a 41 pct drop compared to 2014 as the base year (5,534 tons of CO2).
The airport offsets its direct emissions by buying certified carbon credits in sustainable projects including the MANOA REDD+ Project which works to preserve 74,000 hectares of forest in Rondônia State, Brazil. (Source: TASS, World Airport, 27 Aug., 2019) Contact: Airport Carbon Accreditation, +44 845 868 2708, www.airportcarbonaccreditation.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Neutral, Airport Carbon Accreditation,
Annual emissions have to reduce by 29-32 gigatonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide (CO2e) by 2030 to maintain a fighting chance to stay below 1.5 degree C -- a five-fold increase on current ambitions, the report notes.
According to the report, carbon offset schemes were set up to allow the largest polluters who exceed permitted emissions’ levels to fund projects, such as reforestation, that reduce CO2 in the air, essentially balancing out their emissions equation. The types of carbon offset projects that are implemented range from forestry sequestration projects to energy efficiency and renewable energy projects (which reduce future CO2 emissions in the atmosphere).
Carbon offsets are useful while infrastructure and industry make the transition to electric mobility, alternative energy and the new technology necessary for low- and zero-carbon lifestyles. Where there are no viable alternatives in the short term, an offset scheme promises to cancel out the emissions in one place with emission-reducing actions in another.
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) credits have also come under fire with a 2016 study found 85 pct of the offsets had a "low likelihood" of creating real reductions, and the UN has struggled to reconcile its support for offsets with evidence that they are problematic.
Download the UN Carbon Offsets are Not Our Get-Out-of-Jail Free Card
report HERE; (Source: UN Environment, Pro Publica, 10 June, 2019) Contact: UN Environment, Niklas.Hagelberg, Niklas.Hagelberg@un.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News CDM, Carbon Emissions, Carbon Offsets,
Attis plans to immediately begin the process of deploying its patented biorefinery technology to further diversify the biofuel and biobased product manufacturing at the campus. Attis will convert extracted locally sourced woody biomass pulp into cellulosic fuels and lignin into bioplastics, carbon fiber and advanced biofuels like renewable diesel and jet fuel.
Attis also aims to improve the quality and volume of co-products currently being produced at the Fulton ethanol plant by implementing its patented and licensed corn oil extraction technology that will almost double the current corn oil production yields at the plant and provide an augmented revenue stream. (Source: Attis Industries, DTN, June, 2019) Contact: Attis Ind., Jeff Cosman, CEO, 678-580-5661, www.attisind.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Attis Industries, Ethanol, Sunoco LP,
Under the program, King County acquires high-value forests that are at risk of development and then offers buyers the opportunity to purchase carbon credits generated by keeping carbon in the forests. The county will then invest the revenue generated by the program to protect additional forests and offer credits to additional buyers.
In the first five years of the program, the urban and rural components of King County's Forest Carbon Program will store at least 100,000 metric tons of CO2 that otherwise would have been released into the atmosphere.
The project will meet standards developed by the internationally recognized Verified Carbon Standard, while the county's urban forest carbon projects meet the standards developed by City Forest Credits, a Seattle-based nonprofit that developed an innovative verification protocol for urban forest canopy preservation.
Microsoft has committed to purchasing all of the credits from the rural program in its first year to offset carbon emissions from its operations.
Download program details HERE. (Source: King County Washington, PR, 9 May, 2019) Contact: King County, https://kingcounty.gov
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credits, Microsoft, Forest Carbon, Verified Carbon Standard,
Each free permit gives a firm the right to emit a tonne (1,000kg) of CO2. British Steel claims that it is discussing the impact of Brexit on its business with ministers and officials from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (DBEIS) and is in talks with Department for Business about financial assistance. British Steel has until 30 April to comply with EU emission rules.
(Source: British Steel, Insider Media, 2 May 2019
More Low-Carbon Energy News UE ETS, Carbon Emissions, Brexit, British Steel,
Under its initiative, BikeFlights.com purchases high quality carbon offsets through its partner carrier UPS which then retires an equivalent amount of carbon offsets from verified carbon reduction projects. Target projects have included improved forest management, methane and landfill gas destruction and wastewater treatment.
BikeFlights .com has also adopted other environmentally-friendly practices to be more sustainable, including helping to reduce the impact of customer travel, having a remote workforce, reducing its own materials consumption, sourcing boxes locally and recycling. It also works toward the sustainability of cycling as a sport.
(Source: BikeFlights.com, PR, BikeBiz, 23 April, 2019) Contact: BikeFlights.com, Sue George, VP, (541) 705-2453, www.bikeflights.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Offsets, Carbon Credits,
Each free permit gives a firm the right to emit a tonne (1,000kg) of CO2.
British Steel claims that it is discussing the impact of Brexit on its business with ministers and officials from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (DBEIS) and is in talks with Department for Business about financial assistance.
British Steel has until 30 April to comply with EU emission rules. (Source: BBC, Steel Times, 14 April, 2019)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions, EU ETS,
Under the government plan, business will earn credits for reducing pollution below their baselines which they canto sell or carry over to meet their future pollution cap.
Business that exceed their caps will will be required to purchase carbon credits to meet their caps.
(Source: Financial Review, Various Media, 31 Mar., 2019)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Australia Carbon Emissions, Cap-and-Trade, Carbon Emissions,
The TPI research found none of the airlines assessed had a clear plan for cutting emissions from flights after 2025, with hopes instead pinned on the industry-wide carbon offsetting scheme under which all emissions growth after 2020 would be offset by carbon credits.
According to the TPI research, aviation currently accounts for around 2 pct of all global CO2 emissions, and around 12 pct of transport emissions. Even so, the aviation industry is expanding and could account for for a quarter of total emissions by mid-century.
The TPI is an investor-led initiative which uses analysis from the LSE's Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment to evaluate how prepared firms are for the coming low-carbon transition.
(Source: LSE Grantham Institute, Business Green, 5 Mar., 2019) Contact: LSE Transition Pathway Initiative, www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/tpi
More Low-Carbon Energy News Grantham Institute, Aviation Emissions, Climate Change,
From January, any carbon permits issued by Britain will have to be identified by a country code ("marked") but
transfers of permits already in circulation in and out of accounts held by UK operators will not be affected by the suspension.
If BREXIT is ratified the suspension will be lifted, the EC added.
(Source: European Commission, Reuters, 20 Dec., 2018)
More Low-Carbon Energy News European Commission, Carbon Credits, BREXIT, EU ETS,
Carbon farming uses land management and conservation to increase the amount of carbon that agriculture pulls out of the air and locks into the soil and vegetation. Existing carbon farming programs in California, the Midwest and other countries have shown that a 2.5 acre plot of pasture or rangeland can store about one metric tpy of carbon. The NC peatlands, once re-wetted, have much greater potential -- perhaps 15 to 20 times more -- meaning the land could yield hundreds of thousands of metric tpy of carbon.
The Duke project will launch with a 300 acre pilot which could be expanded depending on its results. To date, the university has invested approximately $300,000 on the project which could sell carbon credits to companies.
(Source: Duke University, Triangle Business Journal, Dec., 2018) Contact: Duke University, Curtis Richardson, Dir., Wetland Center, ww.researchgate.net/profile/Curtis_Richardson
More Low-Carbon Energy News Peatland, Peat, Duke University, CCS, Carbon Emissiuons, CO2, Climate Change,
OSU will use these credits to offset a portion of its annual greenhouse gas emissions, such as those from its own transport fleet. The program is being facilitated by North Carolina-based Urban Offsets.
DHL Supply Chain's GoGreen program has delivered an average reduction of 3 pct in CO2 emissions, year over year, for every mile travelled and every square meter of space used worldwide for its customers.
Urban Offsets helps companies and universities reduce their environmental impact by investing in sustainability projects around the world and directing profits into local projects that build climate resilient neighborhoods. Since 2017, more than 80,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions have been offset and 12,000 trees planted in at-risk communities around the country.
(Source: DHL, PR, 12 Sept., 2018)
Contact: Urban Offsets, https://registry.urbanoffsets.co; DHL Supply Chain, Nicole Porter,
(614) 865-8437, nicole.porter@dhl.com, www.dhl.com; DHL GoGreen Program, HERE; OSU, Kate Bartter, Dir. Ohio State University Office of Energy and Environment, (614) 247-4762, energy.environment@osu.edu, https://oee.osu.edu
More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change, Carbon Footprint,
The application protocol is intended to serve as a means of submitting verified data and automatically issuing certified carbon credits.
The aim is to streamline and accelerate the data verification processes for GHG inventory management and carbon credit origination. The application protocol has the potential to reduce MRV costs by up to 10x in comparison to current practices and to allow real-time tracking of GHG inventories and issuance of carbon credits. (Source: South Pole Group, Crypto Land, Sept., 2018)
Contact: Gold Standard, Marion Verles, CEO, +41 22 788 7080, www.goldstandard.org; IXO Foundation, Dr. Shaun Conway, Pres., www.ixo.foundation; South Pole,
Sophie Smithers Renat Heuberger, CEO and Co-Founder, +41 43 501 35 50, www.southpole.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credit, GHGs, Greenhouse Gas, Gold Standard,
The EDF facilitated the development and sale of the credits with the help of a Conservation Innovation Grant from the USDA. Natural Capital Partners purchased the credits on behalf of its client Microsoft, which began a carbon neutrality program in 2012.
Grassland carbon credits reward landowners for retaining soil carbon and avoiding the emissions associated with converting grasslands into croplands. Grassland projects also provide ecosystem benefits such as habitat for threatened species.
The Climate Action Reserve's Grassland Project Protocol uses biogeochemical modeling and emissions factors to quantify carbon that would be released from the soil if the land were tilled. (Source: EDF, Aug., 2018) Contact: Environmental Defense Fund, www.edf.org;
Southern Plains Land Trust, https://southernplains.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Environmental Defense Fund news, Carbon Credit news, Carbon Sink news,
Arbre-Evolution's pioneering approach to carbon offsetting focuses on the "social aspect of planting trees." Arbre-Evolution selects and supports projects from ideas put forward by businesses and community groups seeking to offset their carbon footprints through community tree planting and reforestation projects on publicly or collectively owned land.
In addition to its partnership with Coop Carbone, Arbre-Evolution is working with the Forest Stewardship Council of Canada.
The co-op's approach enables communities and companies to be part of the process rather than simply purchasing carbon credits.
(Source: Coop News, 28 Aug., 2018) Contact: Arbre-Evolution, (514) 207-3686,
(418) 607-0697, info@arbre-evolution.org,
www.arbre-evolution.org; Coop Carbone, Jean Nolet, Pres., http://coopcarbone.coop
More Low-Carbon Energy News Coop Carbone, Carbon Offsets, Carbon Emissions, Reforestation,
On a weekly basis, the Zero Carbon Project will purchase 30 units, equivalent to the annual carbon emissions from around 10 typical households. This purchase will help reduce the 30 tonnes of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere. Purchases and the projects they support will be announced to the Zero Carbon Project community, accompanied by an explanation of the different issues and aspects involved in the carbon market.
The Zero Carbon Project carried made it first purchase and cancellation of CERs using the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) website platform, known as Climate Neutral Now.
(Source: Zero Carbon Project, AZO CleanTech, 13 Aug., 2018) Contact: Zero Carbon Project, Derek Meyers, CEO, www.zerocarbonproject.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credit, Carbon Tax, Zero Carbon Project,
South Africa has committed to introduce a carbon credit tax on large emitters and is expected to make products from carbon-neutral companies "the cheaper option," by January, 2019.
(Source: Darling Brewery, Portland Press Herald, AP, 21 July, 2018) Contact: Darling Brewery, +27 21 286 1099, www.darlingbrew.co.za
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon-Neutral,
The EDF facilitated the development and sale of the credits with the help of a Conservation Innovation Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Natural Capital Partners purchased the credits on behalf of its client Microsoft, which began a carbon neutrality program in 2012.
Grassland carbon credits reward landowners for retaining soil carbon and avoiding the emissions associated with converting grasslands into croplands. Grassland projects also provide ecosystem benefits such as habitat for threatened species.
The Climate Action Reserve's Grassland Project Protocol uses biogeochemical modeling and emissions factors to quantify carbon that would be released from the soil if the land were tilled. Offsets are then generated for preserved belowground soil carbon, avoided use of nitrogen-based fertilizers and avoided use of carbon-emitting machinery for crop cultivation. (Source: EDF, 17 July, 2018)
Contact: Environmental Defense Fund, www.edf.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Environmental Defense Fund, USDA, Carbon Credit,
ACR has had fifteen issuances over a million forestry tons for both compliance and voluntary markets. This includes IFM, Avoided Conversion and Afforestation/Reforestation project types. Of the fifteen issuances, GreenTrees has two of them. Only three of the fifteen issuances are from afforestation/reforestation projects, with the remaining one from an international project.
The GreenTrees River System approach is setting the standard for how reforestation can achieve scale and impact and does it with small and medium-sized landowners. Reforestation provides a continuous loop of scaled impact while bending the climate curve.
GreenTrees® is the largest reforestation program in North America with more than 120,000 acres of trees planted with its 500 landowner partners, producing over 1,000,000 tons annually on The American Carbon Registry. (Source: GreenTrees, CSRWire, 6 July, 2018) Contact: GreenTrees, Chandler Van Voorhis, (540)253-2504, chandler@green-trees.com, www.green-trees.com; American Carbon Registry, https://americancarbonregistry.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Refdorestation, Climate Change, American Carbon Registry , Carbon Emissions, Carbon Credits,
Z Energy partnered with long-standing carbon consultants Permanent Forests NZ Ltd (PFNZ) for this offsetting initiative. PFNZ specialise in aggregating, marketing and selling New Zealand forest carbon credits on behalf of owners of forests registered under the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative.
The Z Energy investment is reported to be New Zealand's largest voluntary purchase of units from permanent forest sinks to date.
Z Energy's operational carbon emissions, including those from corporate travel, retail electricity, coastal emissions, and hauliers come to about 58,000 tonnes tpy of CO2-e (carbon dioxide equivalent) at an average cost of about $25 per tonne -- about $1.5 million per year.
In addition to the offset programme, Z Energy remains focused on reducing the carbon intensity of its biodiesel and other business.(Source: Z Energy, Voxy, 9 July, 2018) Contact: Z Energy, Gerri Ward, Sustainability Manager, David Binnie, GM, general@z.co.nz, https://z.co.nz
More Low-Carbon Energy News Z Energy, Carbon Sink, Carbon Credits, Climate Change,
Founded in 2017, C4Coin will reward eco-conscious activities that generate verifiable carbon offsets. Users creating these offsets will receive carbon credit tokens called CO2KNs. These tokens can be retired through an innovative consensus protocol to earn a traditional crypto-asset called C4Coin.
The company plans to launch its blockchain in Q4 2018.
The name C4Coin stems from the biological process of carbon fixation. Plants take CO2 and inorganic Carbon 4 and break them down into organic, useable carbon and oxygen.
(Source: C4Coin, PR, 24 May, 2018) Contact: C4Coin, Harrison Perl, CEO, www.c4coin.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Offset, Carbon Credits, Carbon Trading,
On land, forests capture carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Forests release their carbon every few hundred years, due to fire, tree mortality or human harvesting. By comparison, coastal marshes maintain their carbon for thousands of years. Coastal ecosystems do the same -- but they're much better at it, according to McGill University "Blue Carbon" authority Assoc. Prof. Gail Chmurain. Coastal ecosystems can hold three to five times more carbon than the equivalent area of forest, according to a federal government report.
The financial value of blue carbon comes from its potential for carbon emission credits which the Canadian federal government is introducing.
According to government documents, "carbon stored in tidal salt marshes in the Bay of Fundy could have an estimated value of $202 million." That would equal $1 billion in 2022.
In terms of Canada's national carbon emissions strategy, blue carbon could be used as an offset to meet international targets and
coastal communities could protect or rehabilitate wetlands to generate carbon credits.
(Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, CBC, 22 May, 2018) Contact: Environment and Climate Change Canada, (800) 668-6767, www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change.htm;
McGill University, Assoc. Prof. Gail Chmurain, (514) 926-6854, gail.chmura@mcgill.ca, www.mcgill.ca
More Low-Carbon Energy News Blue Carbon, Carbon Emissions, Carbon Storage,
Veridium, a collaborative initiative of EcoSmart Labs, Brian Kelly Capital Management, IDEAcarbon, Everland and CBL Markets, will leverage IBM's blockchain technology and expertise to transform carbon credits into a new type of digital asset that can be redeemed and traded. IBM will provide the token architecture and token interface with its various industry specific Hyperledger Fabric blockchain platforms.
According to Veridium, integrating the entire process of carbon accounting and offsetting into a digital token on a public, permissioned blockchain network can help make measuring environmental impact, transferring ownership rights, and redeeming the underlying carbon offset more efficient.
The token, called VERDE, will represent carbon accounting and offsetting backed by environmental assets, including Triple Gold REDD+ credits from InfiniteEARTH, which authored the first REDD+ forest carbon accounting methodology, a protocol now embodied in the UN Paris Agreement.
(Source: Veridium, Block Tribune, 17 May, 2018) Contact: Veridium, Todd Lemons, CEO, www.veridium.io; IBM,
Bridget van Kralingen, Senior VP, Industry Platforms and Blockchain, www.ibm.com/us-en
More Low-Carbon Energy News Veridium, Carbon Credit,
With XL Catlin's support, TNC will develop a system of credits assigning a market value to the resilience services provided by these historically under valueded cosystems. The hope behind this initiative is that, for the first time, insurance firms and other businesses will be able to offset their carbon footprint while simultaneously better underdstanding the contribution they are making to reducing coastal hazards in the world's most vulnerable coastal areas.
Coastal wetlands -- salt marshes, seagrass meadows and mangroves -- sequester billions of tonnes of "blue carbon" from the atmosphere at concentrations up to five times greater than terrestrial forests. As an increasing number of companies are purchasing carbon credits to offset their footprints, this credit will enable a valuation of the carbon sequestration and coastal resilience benefits that wetlands provide both businesses and communities.
Unlike other climate mitigation solutions coastal wetlands not only sequester carbon, they also protect coastlines by absorbing incoming wave energy and providing storm protection. Additionally, a recent study found that wetlands prevented $625 million in direct flood damages from Hurricane Sandy in the United States. As such, coastal wetlands provide both carbon sequestration and resilience services- a powerful combination in a world of changing climate.
TNC will explore different options to value the resilience services provided by coastal wetlands and to develop a credit product to support ongoing wetland conservation. One of these options could include a numeric ranking system assigning a dollar value to wetlands based on factors such as their potential for storm impact reduction, location relative to vulnerable communities, local economic activities and assets, and potential benefits from habitat restoration. The figures generated by the rankings, combined with the carbon storage capacity of a given wetland, would generate Blue Carbon Resilience Credits. These credits would then offer organizations the capacity to manage their carbon footprints whilst acting as the funding mechanism for wetland conservation, increasing coastal resilience for communities.
(Source: The Nature Conservancy, 10 May, 2018) Contact: The Nature Conservancy, Maria Damanki, Global Managing Director for the Ocean, www.nature.org: XL Catlin, Paul Jardine, CEO, www.xlcatlin.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Blue Carbon,
"These carbon credits represent a significant step towards giving municipalities a green solution to their wastewater needs that is truly self-sustainable,"
Sharp Management said.(Source: Office of Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dwight Ball, The Telegram, 19 Mar, 2018) Contact: Office of Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dwight Ball, (709) 729-3570, prenier@gov.nl.ca, www.gov.nl.ca/premier
More Low-Carbon Energy News Newfoundland, Carbon Tax, Carbon Credit,
The captured gas will be largely used as a fuel for electric power generation for small-scale power projects requiring about 1 MW of electricity -- sufficient to power an energy-intensive operation such as a wastewater treatment facility.
(Source: Capetown Department of Solid Waste Management, Creamer Media, 2 Mar., 2018) Contact: Capetown Department of Solid Waste Management, www.capetown.gov.za/solidwaste
More Low-Carbon Energy News Landfill Gas, Methane,
As previously reported, Royal Dutch Shell plc recently announced it would spend as much as $1 billion a year on renbewable through its New Energies division.
According to the report, Shell sees opportunities in hydrogen fuel-cells, liquefied natural gas, and next-generation biofuels for air travel, shipping and heavy freight.
(Source: BP, CS News, Bloomberg, Various Media, 21 Feb., 2018) Contact: BP, www.bp.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News British Petroleum, Royal Dutch Shell,
CCC and RHF put together a package of carbon credits for borrowers equal to the estimated amount of carbon emitted by a similarly sized house over the course of one year, and subsequently, the life of the loan. Calculations are based on square footage and state energy data. The Carbon Neutral Mortgage is currently available in New Jersey, and is expected to expand to more states later this year.
When borrowers close a Carbon Neutral Mortgage, they receive acknowledgement, personalized certification and have a specified number of carbon offsets removed from circulation in the global carbon markets and “retired” in their name — meaning that they, and only they, can ever get credit for reducing those emissions.
The carbon credits included in each package are vetted by Gold Standard, Voluntary Carbon Standard and the Clean Development Mechanism.
Each RHF Carbon Neutral Mortgage amounts to an estimated 100 - 350 metric tons of CO2 emissions. Through the new partnership, CCC and RHF expect to deliver tens of thousands of tons of CO2 emission reductions every year.
(Source: Carbon Credit Capital, Sustainable Brands, 13 Feb., 2018)Contact: Carbon Credit Capital, (212) 925-5697, info@carboncreditcapital.com, www.carboncreditcapital.com; Residential Home Funding Corp. of America, (888) 763-3500, www.rhfunding.com
The fund ties global sustainable economic development to emissions reduction from Danone, SAP, Schneider Electric and five other corporations.
The Fund is unique in that it pays dividends out in carbon credits, not cash. Using the principle of additionality -- where an investment allows a new sustainability effort to exist -- companies can voluntarily offset their greenhouse gas emissions along with their own carbon-reduction efforts while providing resources to vulnerable communities around the world.
The carbon credits are certified by Gold Standard, established by the World Wildlife Foundation in 2003 to guarantee and benchmark the climate impact of a project and its contribution towards improving the daily lives of local communities and their economy.
(Source: Livelihoods Carbon Fund, GreenBiz, 3 Jan., 2018) Contact: Livelihoods Carbon Fund, +33 1 44 35 26 15, www.livelihoods.eu
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credits,
The national energy guarantee would involve energy retailers delivering a set level of ready-to-use power in each state to shore up reliability, while also being compelled to meet a lower emissions target. According to acting opposition leader Tanya Plibersek, major business and industry groups support reducing carbon pollution by trading in well-regulated markets.
Abbott was Australia's 28th Prime Minister serving from 18 Sept., 2013 to 15 Sept., 2015. (Source: DailyMail, Australia AP, Others, 2 Jan., 2018)
Contact: Tony Abbott, https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR
More Low-Carbon Energy News Tony Abbot, Australia Carbon Tax, Carbon Credit,
The farming sector, where emissions are projected to jump 14 pct to 82 million tonnes between now and 2030, and the transportation sector projected to jump 11 pct to 112 million tonnes, are considered the major offenders, followed by emissions from direct combustion by industry.
According to the report, the government will "in principle" allow polluting companies to purchase foreign carbon credits after 2020 to manage liabilities under the NEG's emissions guarantee.
(Source: Australian Financial Review, Various Media, 19 Dec.,2017)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Australia GHG, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Climate Change,
PAC projects are developed and implemented in collaboration with local, community-based organizations that rely on cultural knowledge to manage forest ecosystems. PAC's "measurement-to-monetization" services are provided at no cost to landowners. PAC services are available to verify emission reduction for Paris Agreement signatories.
PAC aims to reduce CO2 emissions and greenhouse gases by restoring nature. The company deploys carbon measurement infrastructure on forest lands to accurately measure carbon offsets for sale as carbon securities and carbon products. (Source: Planet Alpha Corp., PR, PRZen, 28 Nov., 2017) Contact: Planet Alpha Corp., D.V. Marino, CEO, https://planetalphaforest.earth
More Low-Carbon Energy News Deforestation, Planet Alpha, Fotest Carbon, Carbon Credits, Carbon Sequestration,
The state set a minimum price per permit of $13.57 and the final auction price was $15.06. All available permits were purchased. The cap-and-trade program is set to run through 2030. California aims to slash GHG emissions 40-pct below 1990 levels by the year 2030. (Source: California ARB, MML News, Various Others, 24 Nov., 2017) Contact: CARB, (800) 242-4450, helpline@arb.ca.gov, www.arb.ca.gov
More Low-Carbon Energy News California Air Resources Board, California Cap-and-Trade, Carbon Credits,
This voluntary carbon neutrality initiative is eligible for certified carbon credits and will avoid the emission of 50,000 tpy of carbon dioxide equivalent a year for ten years -- equivalent to all emissions generated by plane travel by Total employees.
The project is slated to get underway this month with the first biodigesters expected to be operational in 2018. (Source: GoodPlanet Foundation, Total, Bioenergy Int'l, 21 Nov., 2017) Contact: GoodPlanet Foundation, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Pres., www.goodplanet.org/en
More Low-Carbon Energy News Biodigester, GoodPlanet Foundation, Total, Biogas,
The organization offset 37 pct of its total reported emissions through the purchase of carbon credits. and is is on track to 100 pct climate-neutrality by 2020, according to the Greening the Blue According to the report 39 of the UN's 69 agencies achieved climate neutrality in 2016 The climate-neutral UN entities include UN Environment (UNEP), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN Women, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the UN Postal Union (UPU), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and others.
Download the full report HERE.
(Source: UN, Greening the Blue, IISD, 2 Nov., 2017)
Contact: Greening the Blue, www.greeningtheblue.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions, Carbon Offsets, Carbon Footprint, Carbon Neutral,
The carbon credits offered come from a range of projects in Cambodia, China, Sudan, Ethiopia, Laos, Panama and Rwanda, with plans to add additional projects within the coming months.
With more than 80 NGO supporters, Gold Standard sets the best practice benchmark for climate and development projects. As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, every project it certifies must contribute to at least three of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
(Source: Gold Standard, Sustainable Brands, October 18, 2017)
Contact: Gold Standard, Marion Verles, CEO, +41 22 788 7080, www.goldstandard.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Gold Standard, Climate Change, CO2, Carbon Emissions, Carbon Offset, Carbon Credit,
The dynaCERT patent-pending technology creates hydrogen and oxygen on-demand through electrolysis and supplies these additives through the air intake to enhance combustion, resulting in lower carbon emissions and greater fuel efficiency. The technology can accurately track, measure and report on greenhouse gas emissions. The data collected by the system will be used to determine the amount of greenhouse gas credits or offsets with a view to certify carbon credits.
dynaCERT Inc. manufactures, distributes, and installs Carbon Emission Reduction Technology for use with internal combustion engines. (Source: dynaCERT Inc., 5 Oct., 2017) Contact: dynaCert, Jime Payne, Pres., CEO, (416) 766-9691x2, jpayne@dynaCERT.com, www.dynaCERT.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News dynaCERT , Carbon Emissions,