London-listed Foresight Group Holdings Ltd noted ,
"For some years now Foresight, as one of a very few significant players in this sector, has been looking to scale up its forestry investments in an appropriate structure for a wide range of investors to participate in and this LSE Main Market listed sustainable forestry company launch represents the next development in that journey."
Contact: Foresight Sustainable Forestry Co., Bernard Fairman, +44 (0)20 3667 8100, info@foresightgroup.eu, www.foresightgroup.eu
More Low-Carbon Energy News Foresight Sustainable Forestry , Reforestation, Carbon Sequestration,
The plan calls for planting 54 million trees and 46 million mu of grass each year over the next five years to increase the country's forest coverage rate to 24.1 pct and its grassland vegetation coverage to 57 pct by 2025, as outlined in the country's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) on the protection and development of forests and grasslands. The country also aims to raise its forest stock volume to 19 billion cubic meters by the end of 2025, an increase of 1.4 billion cubic meters from last year.
China's forest carbon reserves have hit 9.2 billion tonnes, with an average annual increase of over 200 million tonnes over the past five years -- equivalent to a carbon sink of 700 million to 800 million tonnes, according to NFGA data. (Source: China National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Website PR, 18 Aug., 2021) Contact: China National Forestry and Grassland Administration, www.iucn.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Neutral, Reforestation, Climate Change, Carbon Sink, Cargon Emissions, ,
The new N-GEO futures are designed "to help create a more transparent and efficient voluntary emissions offset market." The contract size is 1,000 offsets and each offset represents 1 metric ton of CO2, according to the release.
The futures were developed with Xpansiv market CBL, which launched an N-GEO spot contract earlier this year based on eligible voluntary offsets from Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) projects with additional Climate, Community, and Biodiversity (CCB) accreditation.
N-GEO futures are based on eligible voluntary offsets from AFOLU projects with additional Climate, Community, and Biodiversity (CCB) accreditation. AFOLU category activities include: afforestation, reforestation, revegetation, wetland rewetting and conservation and improved forestry management. N-GEO futures are based on eligible voluntary offsets from AFOLU projects with additional Climate, Community, and Biodiversity (CCB) accreditation, CME said. The futures are based on CBL's Nature-Based Global Emissions Offset Spot contract, which launched in March.
(Source: CME Group, PR, PR, 21 June, 2021) Contact: CME Group, Peter Keavey, Global Head of Energy, 312-930-1000, www.cmegroup.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Offset news, Voluntary Carbon Offset news,
Demand for nature-based carbon credits, such as those from forest conservation and reforestation programs, or wetlands and grasslands restoration projects, has been growing in recent years. Verra, one of the main standard-setting bodies for voluntary carbon markets, reported that nature-based solutions represented 68 pct of its total issuances in Q1 of this year, compared with 38 pct in 2016.
In 2019, the supply of nature-based projects fell but demand remained strong, resulting in a 30 pct price surge across voluntary markets. That same year, nature-based offsets were three times pricier, on average, than renewable energy ones, data from Ecosystem Marketplace showed. (Source: Ecosystem Marketplace ,Mongabay, 16 June, 2021) Contact: Ecosystem Marketplace, www.ecosystemmarketplace.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Maket, Carbon Credit,
The first project of this program, conducted in partnership with the French National Forest Office and the Rhone Departmental Council, is located about 30 kilometers away from Lyon-Saint Exupery airport, and will restore, reforest, maintain and manage 3.6 hectares with locally resilient species selected for their strong capacity to adapt to water stress and absorb CO2. This reforestation project, which will sequester more than 500 tons of CO2 over the planting's growth period, aims at achieving the Low Carbon Label certification.
By developing other similar projects within a five-year framework agreement with the Rhone department, VINCI Airports will create a network of forest sinks in the Rhone region that will offset 100 pct of Lyon airports' residual emissions and enable Lyon-Saint Exupery airport to become the first French commercial airports to achieve net-zero emissionsby 2026. (Source: VINCI Airports, PR, June, 2021)
Contact: VINCI Airports, Nicolas Notebaert, CEO, www.vinvi-airports.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Sink, Carbon Credit, Reforestation,
This funding will help to remove 28 million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere, equivalent to the offsetting London's entire CO2 emissions annually over the next 15 years, through investing in eco-friendly projects like harvesting nuts, seeds, and coffee sustainably, restoring lost forests, diversifying crops to prevent soil erosion, and launching conservation activities -- restoring tropical forests as our most effective and natural carbon capture and storage sinks.
The government program is expected to attract as much as £850 million in private investment, support thousands of green jobs across multiple sectors, such as agriculture, food, and technology in these regions, and to provide 23 pct of the reduction in carbon emissions and climate impacts needed over the next decade to meet the goals set in the Paris Climate Agreement. (Source: UK Ministry of State, PR, 12 Mar., 2021)
Contact: UK International Environment Minister Lord Goldsmith , www.gov.uk/government/people/zac-goldsmith
More Low-Carbon Energy News Rainforest, Reforestation, Climate Change, Deforestation,
Although forests make up only one pct of the Indiana-size desert kingdom's territory, Jordan has an estimated 23 million orchard trees and the country's nurseries produce 2.5 million forest trees and 500,000 fruit trees per year. (Source: Jordan Environment Ministry, todayonline, 11 Mar., 2021)
Contact: Jordan Environment Ministry, +96265560113, www.moenv.gov.jo/EN/Pages/Protect_the_Environment
More Low-Carbon Energy News Jordan, Reforestation, Climate Change,
The initiative will focus on improving community-based forest management, improving integrated land use planning and promoting alternative energy sources. It is also expected to support
Nepal's Emission Reductions Programme aims to reduce 9 million tpy of carbon emissions,
lower rates of deforestation and forest degradation across 2.4 million hectares of resource-rich land, including 20 pct of the country’s forest cover in the Terai Arc Landscape. (Source: Gov. of Nepal, Energy Live, World Bank IFC, 1 Mar., 2021)
Contact: World Ban, International Finance Corporation, www.ifc.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News World Bank, Reforestation, Deforestation, Carbon Emissions, Climate Change,
Shell wants to ramp up its use of nature-based carbon offsets, which include forestation projects, to 120 million tpy by 2030, to as high as 300 million tpy . Shell, which currently has 4.5 million tonnes of CCS capacity either in use or in the pipeline, aims to sell CCS as a service to other emitters
Globally, the entire voluntary carbon offset market reached 104 million tonnes in 2019, according to Ecosystem Marketplace .
(Source: Shell, Yahoo, 19 Feb., 2021)
Contact: Shell, www.shell.com/newenergies
More Low-Carbon Energy News Shell, CCS, Reforestation, Carbon Offset,
The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, forest carbon stock conservation, the sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries, activities commonly referred to as REDD+. The FCPF works with 47 developing countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, along with 17 donors that have made contributions and commitments totaling $1.3 billion. The FCPF supports REDD+ efforts through its Readiness and Carbon Funds.
Fijian Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum noted
"The emission reduction program area includes forest protection, planting and ustainable management of over 37,000 hectares spread over 20 districts on the islands of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and Taveuni, with the potential to expand to other areas that express interest. The contracted volume of greenhouse gases that Fiji is expected to sequester from these forest activities in the next five years is 2.5 million tonnes, for which a result-based payment of $12.5 million will be paid upon verification by the World Bank."(Source: FBN News, 27 Jan., 2021)
Contact: Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, www.forestcarbonpartnership.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News World Bank, REDD+, Forest Carbon Partnership, Fiji, Carbon Trading, Reforestation, Carbon Emissions, Climate Change ,
Eden Reforestation Projects -- $5 million to plant trees and alleviate extreme poverty in three countries.www.edenprojects.org. (Source: Bezos Earth Fund, Release, 16 Nov., 2020)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Bezos Earth Fund, Climate Change,
In July, bipartisan leaders in Washington, DC passed the Great American Outdoors Act, the nation's largest forest conservation measure in 50 years. Leaders from the 25 U.S. Climate Alliance states and mayors across America are also setting public policies to conserve, restore and grow our forests. More federal legislation is on the way, including the bipartisan REPLANT Act that would reforest 1.2 billion trees on America's national forests by 2030.
U.S. Chapter of 1t.org, led by American Forests and the Forum, launched this week to connect, empower and mobilize a global reforestation community to ensure the conservation and restoration of one trillion trees, the planting of 855 million trees, and supporting mapping technology and carbon finance that will lead to many more trees.
In the US alone, forests currently capture 15 pct of the nation's carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, according to the release.
(Source: 1t.org, World Economic Forum. The Print, 30 Aug., 2020) Contact: World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org;
1t.org, www.1t.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News World Economic Forum, Reforestation, Carbon Capture,
John Field, research scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Lab at CSU, said it has been a challenge for the biofuel industry to demonstrate commercial viability for cellulosic biofuels created from switchgrass and other non-edible plants.
The research team used modeling to simulate switchgrass cultivation, cellulosic biofuel production and carbon capture and storage (CCS), tracking ecosystem and carbon flows. Scientists then compared this modeling to alternative ways to store carbon on the land, including growing forest or grassland.
CCS technology is being used by at least one facility in Illinois that is processing corn to ethanol as a conventional biofuel to create ethanol, but these systems are not yet widespread. As part of the study, researchers created models to simulate what this would look like at a cellulosic biofuel refinery. "What we found is that around half of the carbon in the switchgrass that comes into the refinery becomes a byproduct that would be available for carbon capture and storage. The resulting byproduct streams of high-purity CO2 would not require much separation or clean-up before being stored underground," the study noted.
The research team analyzed three contrasting U.S. case studies and found that on land where farmers or land managers were transitioning out of growing crops or maintaining pastures for grazing, cultivating switchgrass for cellulosic ethanol production had a per-hectare mitigation potential comparable to reforestation and several-fold greater than grassland restoration.
Using switchgrass can be particularly helpful in parts of the country where planting more trees is not an option.
This research was partially funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the US DOE via the Center for Bioenergy Innovation, and the Sao Paulo Research Foundation in Brazil.
The study illustrates how deliberate land use choices support the climate performance of present-day cellulosic ethanol technology and how technological advancements and CCS addition could produce several times the climate mitigation potential of competing land-based biological mitigation schemes. These results affirm the climate mitigation logic of biofuels, consistent with their prominent role in many climate stabilization scenarios, the study concludes.
(Source: Colorado State University, Green Car Congress, Aug., 2020) Contact: Colorado State University, Natural Resource Ecology Lab, John Field, (970) 491-1604,
John.L.Field@colostate.edu,
www.nrel.colostate.edu
More Low-Carbon Energy News Advanced Biofuel, Cellulosic Biofuel, Switchgrass,
The FCPF-2 project aims to assist relevant agencies at the central level and in the six northern central Vietnam provinces to improve their institutional and technical capacity to prepare for the REDD+ implementation. It also supports the building of the emission reduction and transfer of the rights to emission reduction programme in the northern central region (ERPD) for 2018-2025, helping to carry out the national REDD+ action programme and the country's Nationally Determined Contribution under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
Phase 1, which ran from November 2016 to June 30, 2020, was implemented in Hanoi and the six northern central provinces at a total cost of $5.7 million (US) , including $5 million in non-refundable ODA capital from the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF).
REDD+ is an international initiative aimed at providing financial and technical assistance for developing countries to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change impact via efforts against deforestation and forest degradation.
Vietnam has participated in REDD+ since 2008, and more than 45 related projects have been implemented in the country to date. (Source: Vietnam Administration of Forestry, PR, 28 June, 2020) Contact: Vietnam Administration of Forestry, www.flegt.org/web/vietnam-administration-of-forestry
More Low-Carbon Energy News REDD+, Deforestation, Reforestation, Climate Change,
Amazon also released its 2019 sustainability report and an update on the company's sustainability goals and programs, including:
Details of Amazon's sustainability goals are HERE.
(Source: Amazon, PR, June, 2020) Contact: Amazon Inc., Amazon-pr@amazon.com,
www.amazon.com/pr
More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Pledge, Climate Change, Amazon, Jeff Bezos,
"The majority of emissions reductions are through sequestration and are a result of anticipated land-use change primarily due to the interaction of the sediment proposal and the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). It is expected that a portion of hill country pasture will be converted to forestry between 2025 and 2050, as afforestation is a cost-effective option for achieving the sediment bottom line. The maximum amount that could profitably be converted is estimated at 600,000 hectares. However, on-farm mitigations through [freshwater farm plans] will play a role and contribute to achieving the sediment bottom line without changing land use, so it is uncertain how much contribution land-use change will make. Depending on the degree to which new sediment requirements are met with afforestation, three different emissions reductions scenarios were drawn up," according to the papaers.
Even the most conservative scenario found a reduction of 35 million tonnes of CO2 or the equivalent amount of another greenhouse gas (Mt CO2e) by 2050.
The most optimistic emissions reduction scenario for the freshwater reform package projected a sink of 97.2 Mt CO2e. New Zealand's annual gross emissions are around 80 Mt CO2e.
Excluding the sediment policy, the freshwater package is still estimated to present impressive reductions, on the order of four million tonnes of CO2e by 2050, the papers note. (Source: Newsroom NZ, June, 2020)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Aforestation. Reforestation, Soil Carbon, Carbon Sink, Carbon Emissions,
The Forest Service scientists quantified the contribution of forests, harvested wood products, and urban trees to carbon capture and storage. They found that, collectively, these natural systems account for more than 95 pct of Earth's terrestrial carbon sink. The atmospheric carbon absorbed by forests, harvested wood, and urban trees is equal to more than 11 pct of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States each year between 1990 and 2018.
Download the Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals from Forest Land, Woodlands, and Urban Trees in the United States, 1990-2018 report HERE. (Source: USDA Forest Service, April, 2020) Contact: U.S. Forest Service, www.fs.usda.gov
More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS, USDA Forest Service, Carbon Emissions,
The four-pronged legislation includes; cap and trade; a ban on chemicals that destroy the ozone; corporate emission reporting rules; and a database of both emissions and the measures to decrease them.
The legislation includes measures to decrease emissions by focusing on reforestation, creating a
domestic carbon credit market, and drastically cut coal consumption which presently generates almost one-third of the country's electric power -- figure projected to increase by five times by 2030.
(Source: Various Media, VOA Khymer, 19 Mar., 2020)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions, Climate Change, Coal, Paris Climate Accord, Vietnam Emissions,
Having been amended in the Senate, House Bill 2528 returns to the the Washington State House for full approval the on to the governor to be signed into law. (Source: The World, Various Media, chronicleonline. 7 Mar., 2020)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Woody Biomass, Reforestation, Carbon Sequestration,
According to the release, over the 50-year lifetime of a single tree, it will produce $31,250 worth of oxygen and $62,000 worth of air pollution control.
Each tree will recycle $37,500 worth of water and prevent $31,250 of soil erosion. This data suggests that one tree will produce a societal benefit of $162,000. (Source: Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, Big Island Now, 23 Feb., 2020) Contact: Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative , www.legacyforest.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Capture, Reforestation, Carbon Emissions,
According to a release, Pakistan would use roughly $200 million from the Green Climate Fund to mitigate environmental degradation and combat climate change. An additional $188 million would be used to
fund major projects including the upcoming Ecosystem Restoration Initiative that aims at implementing the "Ten Billion Tree Tsunami" tree planting programme.
(Source: Various Media, The Nation, 24 Feb., 2020)
Contact: Green Climate Fund, www.greenclimate.fund
More Low-Carbon Energy News Green Climate Fund, Carbon Emissions, Climate Change, Global Warming, Pakistan Climate Change,
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, AstraZeneca plans to cut carbon emissions to net-zero emissions within its own operations without relying on offset schemes, use 100 pct renewable energy, and reduce total energy consumption by 10 pct from a 2015 base, all by 2025.
The pharmaceuticals maker is also planning a 50,000,000 tree
reforestation initiative named AZ Forest which will launch in Australis this February.
(Source: AstraZeneka, PR, BusinessGreen, 20 Jan., 2020) Contact: AstraZeneca, Pascal Soirot, CEO, +44 (0)20 3749 5000, www.astrazeneka.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Net-Zero Carbon Emissions, Reforestation, Carbon Offsets,
Customers flying within the UK on flights operated by British Airways will have the carbon emissions from their flights offset by the airline and invested in verified carbon reduction projects such as renewable energy, protection of rainforests and reforestation programmes.
In addition, British Airways' carbon emissions on international flights will be capped at 2020 levels through the United Nations' worldwide carbon pricing scheme called CORSIA, (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation).
British Airways has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 through a range of initiatives, including offsetting emissions, flying more fuel-efficient aircraft, investing in sustainable aviation fuel and changing operating procedures, as well as working with stakeholders and governments to strengthen global climate policy.
The airline and its parent company, IAG will invest a total of $400 million on alternative sustainable fuel development over the next 20 years. (Source: British Airways, PR, 2 Jan., 2019) Contact: British Airways, www.ba.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News British Airways, Aviation Emissions, Carbon Offset, CORSIA,
The program offers financial assistance in the form of easement payments for specific conservation actions on private forest and tribal lands in Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Under the program, landowners develop a carbon forest project with TNC and get assistance with carbon credit development and marketing as well as some potential additional income from the sale of credits.
The program offers a 30-year term and permanent easement options for private landowners or a 30-year contract for tribal lands.
The USDA will pay 75 pct of the value of the land enrolled in 30-year easements plus 75 pct of the average cost of the approved conservation practices.
Landowners who select the permanent easement option can get 100 pct of the easement value of the enrolled property.
(Source: NRCS, Nature Conservancy,CBS 19, 13 Nov., 2019) Contact: Nature Conservancy,
Steve Lineman or Greg Meade, (276) 676-2209, (703) 841-5300, www.nature.org; USDA NRCS, Easement Program Manager Diane Dunaway, (804) 287-1634
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/fl
More Low-Carbon Energy News Nature Conservancy, Reforestation, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service,
FAO supports countries to enhance their planning and capacities for climate change-related investments under the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme.
In Chile, GCF has approved a new $63 million REDD+ Results Based Payment Funding Proposal to restore and conserve about 25,000 hectares of native forest. The project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1 million tons of CO2, while promoting afforestation in more than 7,000 hectares and the sustainable management and conservation of over 17,000 hectares of forest.
Land-locked Kyrgyzstan will benefit from a $30 million GCF grant supplemented by another $20 million for a project aimed at increasing carbon sequestration through forest and pasture rehabilitation.
In Nepal, GCF allocated nearly $40 million in grant funding to address forest degradation, flooding and soil erosion in the Churia hills region. The Nepal Ministry of Forests and Environment will contribute $8 million to the 7-year effort.
The GCF supports developing countries efforts to respond to the challenge of climate change, limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, and promote low-emission and climate-resilient development. (Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization, PR, 13 Nov., 2019) Contact: UN Food and Agriculture Organization,
+39 06 570 53625, FAO-Newsroom@fao.org, www.fao.org/home/en; Green Climate Fund, www.greenclimate.fund
More Low-Carbon Energy News Green Climate Fund, Reforestation, Carbon Sequestration, Climate Change,
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,
The study, which appeared Monday in the Journal of Forest Economics, takes into account the planting of new trees and forest management practices that eased environmental impacts. Previous studies did not take those factors into account. "There was a significant shift toward treating forests as a renewable, rather than nonrenewable, resource in the last century, and we estimate that those reforestation and forest management efforts have led to a far smaller carbon burden on the environment," Prof. Brent Sohngen said. (Source: The Ohio State University, PR, Columbus Dispatch, 4 Nov., 2019)
Contact: Ohio State University, Prof. Brent Sohngen, Environmental and Resource Economics, 614-688-4640, sohngen.1@osu.edu, www.aede.osu.edu/our-people/brent-sohngen
More Low-Carbon Energy News Ohio State University, Deforestation, Carbon Emissions, Reforestation,
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,
In its offsetting, British Airways will invest in verified carbon reduction (VCR) projects worldwide, including renewable energy, rainforest protection and reforestation programmes.
(Source: British Airways, Business Traveler, Oct., 2019) Contact: British Airways, www.ba.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News British Airways, Aviation Emissions, CO2, Climate Change, VCR,
For every 20 Danish kroner (€2.70 or $3.00) donation one tree is to be planted, and 20 pct of the total donations will be earmarked for forest conservation efforts in Denmark. (Source: DW, 15 Dept., 2019)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change, Reforestation,
The newly announced £1.44 billion funding, which will come from the UK aid budget and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), will be earmarked for tackling climate change, including wildfires.
During the Summit meeting, the G7 agreed to support a medium-term reforestation plan which will be unveiled at the UN in September.
(Source: G7 Release, Various Media, Daily Mail, 27 Aug., 2019)
More Low-Carbon Energy News G7, Climate Change, Carbon Emission ,
"Compensaid" combines a global airline flight tracking tool with a sustainability platform that makes it possible to directly offset individual CO2 emissions.
The platform offers two options for carbon offsetting -- the option to replace fossil fuel with SAF, which is calculated through a market-based surcharge on flights, or the alternative is to use Compensaid to support a reforestation project in Nicaragua, reducing CO2 emissions in the long-term.
(Source: Lufthansa, Biofuels Int'l., 20 Aug., 2019) Contact: Lufthansa Innovation Hub, Gleb Tritus, Dir., https://de.linkedin.com/in/glebtritus, welcome@lh-innovationhub.com; www.lh-innovationhub.com, www.lufthansagroup.com
More Low-Carbon Energy News Aviation Biofuel, Sustainable Fuel, Jet Biofuel, Lufthansa, Carbon Offsetting, Carbon Offset,
The Climate Stewardship Act will be presented in September.
The new trees will cover up to 64 million acres and will capture more than 13 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide by the end of the century -- equivalent to more than two full years of the country's current greenhouse gas emissions.
Approximately 400 million trees will be planted in urban areas to provide cooling effects on heatwaves and help urban residents to reduce their energy usage.
The Act will also establish a Reforest America cost-share programme, the Urban Wood initiative, the Stewardship Corps and provide funding to the US Forest Service and the Department of Interior.
(Source: Office of Sen. Cory BookerVarious Media, Smart Energy, 15 Aug., 2019)Contact: Office of Sen. Cory Booker, https://twitter.com/CoryBooker
More Low-Carbon Energy News Cliamate Change, Afforestation, Reforestation,
KMBL president Ghalib Nishtar said the bank's small reforestation project aims to take a leading role in fighting climate change and embracing a greener future. The KMBL is "Green Office Certified" by WWF-Pakistan in recognition of its efforts to implement environmentally sustainable practices within the Bank.
(Source: Khushhali Microfinance Bank, The International News, 8 Aug., 2019)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change, Aforestation, Reforeratation,
The UN estimates Ethiopia's forest coverage declined to a low of just 4 per cent in the 2000s. Global potential tree coverage stands at 4.4 billion hectares of canopy under the current climate.
(Source: UN Modern Diplomacy, 4 Aug., 2019)
More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change, Deforestation, Reforestation,
The study identified where -- excluding cities or agricultural areas -- in the world new trees could grow and how much carbon they would store. The researchers calculated that under the current climate conditions, Earth's land could support 4.4 billion hectares of continuous tree cover -- 1.6 billion more than the currently existing 2.8 billion hectares. Of these 1.6 billion hectares, 0.9 billion hectares fulfill the criterion of not being used by humans. This means that there is currently an area of the size of the US available for tree restoration. Once mature, these new forests could store 205 billion tonnes of carbon: about two thirds of the 300 billion tonnes of carbon that has been released into the atmosphere as a result of human activity since the Industrial Revolution.
The study identifies Russia (151 million hectares); the US (103 million hectares); Canada (78.4 million hectares); Australia (58 million hectares); Brazil (49.7 million hectares); and China (40.2 million hectares) as the countries with the greaterd forestation potential.
(Source: ETH Zurch, PR, 4 July, 2019) Contact: ETH Zurich, Prof. Tom Crowther,
Institute for Integrative Biology, +41 44 632 4141,
tom.crowther@usys.ethz.ch, www.hk.ethz.ch
More Low-Carbon Energy News ETH Zurich, Forestation, Reforestation, Climate Change,
The percentage of woodland cover in the UK remains at 13 pct; England has 10 pct, while Wales and Scotland have 15 and 19 pct respectively. All of this is part of the country's effort to battle climate change, with the increased number of trees being described as a "critical contribution to the global climate emergency."
Even so, studies show there's now so much CO2 in the atmosphere that an area larger then the entire US would have to be reforested just to capture 10 pct of the world's annual CO2 emissions.
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the United Kingdom concerned with the creation, protection, and restoration of native woodland heritage. It has planted over 43 million trees since 1972.
(Source: Woodland Trust, UNILAD News, 12 June, 2019)
Contact: Woodland Trust, www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
More Low-Carbon Energy News Woodland Trust , Climate Change, Carbon Emissions, Reforestation,
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,
Forests Ontario notes about 40 pct forest cover is needed to ensure forest sustainability. The average coverage in southern Ontario is 26 pct with some areas hovering at 5 pct.
(Source: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Canadian Press, National Post, 25 April, 2019) Contact: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 800-667-1940, www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-natural-resources-and-forestry; Forests Ontario, (416) 646-1193, www.forestsontario.ca
More Low-Carbon Energy News Reforestation, Carbon Sequestration,
In reaching their conclusions, the researchers examined commitments made by 43 countries in tropical and subtropical regions, where trees grow faster and thus hold greater promise of removing atmospheric carbon.
These countries have pledged as of October 2017 to restore a combined 2.92 million square kilometers (1.13 million square miles) of degraded and deforested land -- an area almost twice the size of Alaska. Some of these are national commitments, while others were made under the Bonn Challenge launched in 2011 by the German government and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The latter initiative aims to restore 3.5 million square kilometers (1.35 million square miles) of degraded and deforested land by 2030 -- greater than the land mass of India.
The researcher's analysis found that at present, 45 pct of the commitments made by the 43 countries involve planting commercially profitable trees.
Many of these plantations are expected to occur in countries like Brazil, China, Indonesia, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In China, 98.8 pct of the area to be restored will host plantations. In Brazil, it's just over 80 pct of the targeted restoration area, with well under 1 pct for natural forests.
(Source: University of Edinburgh, Mongabay, April, 2019) Contact: University of Edinburgh, /www.ed.ac.uk
More Low-Carbon Energy News University of Edinburgh, Carbon Sequestration, Forest Carbon Sink, Reforestation,
Projects in Shell's pipeline include a 5 million tree planting initiative in the Netherlands, a 300-hectare
reforestation project in Spain and an 800-hectare endangered native forest regeneration project in the state of Queensland. (Source: Shell, Various Media, Bunkerspot, April, 2019) Contact: Royal Dutch Shell, Ben van Beurden, CEO, www.corporate-office-headquarters.com/shell-oil-company
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions, Royal Dutch Shell, Reforestation, Carbon Sequestration,
ENI also want to reduce flaring and reduce methane leaks. Flaring is a practice where gases produced during the refining of oil are burned, should be banned by 2025. Methane gas emissions must then be reduced by 80 percent.
Oil and gas companies are increasingly feeling the need to take measures to reduce their carbon footprint. At the same time, the companies continue to produce more fossil fuels. They say they do this to meet the growing demand in developing countries. (Source: ENI, Financial Times, Zurich Weekly News Review, 17 Mar., 2019) Contact: Eni New Energy SpA, +39 06 598 21,
+39 06 598 22141 - fax, www.eni.com
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Despite increasingly obvious consequences of deadly heatwaves, hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires, and other climatic changes, greenhouse gas emissions remain largely unabated. While considerable attention has been given to improvements in energy efficiency and renewable energy sources as a way to reduce emissions, much less serious attention has been given to improving the state of natural ecosystems as sinks of such emissions. For instance, if restored, global natural forest may stock >460 billion tonnes of carbon, or all human carbon emissions at current rates for 50 years. That degree of ecosystem restoration, however, poses numerous big challenges. (Source: University of Hawaii at MānoaBig Island Now, 19 Nov., 2018) Contact: University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Camilo Mora, Assoc. Prof. of Geography,
More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions news, Climate Change news, Reforestation news,
According to the report, NETs , which remove CO2 directly from ambient air or enhance natural carbon sinks, could be scaled up to capture and store a significant amount of global carbon emissions, but not enough to prevent a global temperature increase of more than 2 degrees C. More research is needed to understand how to overcome existing constraints on the technologies, such as high costs and energy requirements, according to the report.
The report highlights two NETs -- direct air capture (DAR) and mineralization using chemicals and reforestation, changing agricultural practices to enhance soil carbon storage, using biomass produce electricity with CCS and enhancing the amount of carbon stored in coastal ecosystems.
In addition to mitigating climate change, NETs could open an untapped market, the report notes.
(Source: National Academies of Science, Engineering, Engineering News Record, Nov., 2018)Contact: National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, 202-334-2000, www.nationalacademies.org
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According to Osei-Darkwa, "Projects such as smart-agriculture, afforestation and restoration of vital ecosystems would help combat climate change." Osei-Darkwa added that his not-for-profit NGO has established the Green Republic Project to plant more than 20 million trees by the year 2028 to absorb atmospheric CO2.
(Source: Youth Icons Ghana Ghanaian Times, 17 Oct., 2018) Contact:
Youth Icons Ghana, +233 (0) 264 268 686,
+233 (0) 277 268686, info@youthiconsgh.org,
www.youthiconsgh.org
More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change Mitigation, Reforestation, Carbon Emissions, Climate Change Adaptation,
van Beurden noted that reforestation -- the planting of more trees -- was the only solution to meeting the goal of 1.5C. Reforestation is similar to afforestation, which is the process of restoring and recreating areas of woodland on land that was not previously forested.
Removal of woodland areas and forests from the planet has become all too common, due to agricultural activities, logging, mining and forest fires. Forests soak up pollution and dust from the air, maintain the balance of CO2 and oxygen in Earth's atmosphere, build natural habitats and ecosystems and maintain the water cycle which prevents soil erosion.
Reforestation can help mitigate global warming by reducing the amount of CO2 in the air. Trees use sunlight to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Water also evaporates from leaves and this conversion of water to vapour removes heat from the air.
The Shell CEO added that an Amazon-sized tree planting project is needed to meet global warming targets. (Source: Shell, iNews, 10 Oct., 2018)
The report considers what it will take to prevent the Earth's average surface temperature from rising beyond 1.5C (2.7 degrees F) above pre-industrial levels.
The report notes with "high confidence" that at current GHG emissions levels we will pass the 1.5C marker around 2040. The report adds that to have at least a 50-50 chance of a 1.5 C world, the global economy must, by 2050, become "carbon neutral" and CO2 emissions peak not later than 2020 then fall dramatically.
The 22-page Summary also details the amount of CO2 we can dump into the atmosphere and still stay under the 1.5C threshold.
The report also identifies scenarios on the best way to ramp up the fight against climate change: adoption of new technologies to radically reduce energy needs; major reductions in energy consumption habits; removing massive amounts of CO2 out of the air, either though large-scale reforestation, use of biofuels; and direct carbon capture. The report notes the share of primary energy coming from renewables would have to jump to at least 50 pct by mid-century, and the share of coal drop from about 28 to between 1 and 7 pct.
Download the Sumary for Policymakers HERE.
(Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, PhysOrg, Various Media, Oct., 2018) Contact: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, www.ipcc.ch
More Low-Carbon Energy News Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , Climate Change,