March 17, 2022 | Science | Source |
Introduction: The voluntary carbon market is rapidly expanding, with various carbon registries and private companies developing protocols to pay farmers for sequestering carbon in agricultural soils as a climate change strategy. A review of 12 soil organic carbon (SOC) protocols by Environmental Defense Fund and Woodwell Climate Research Center researchers reveals differences in how carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reductions are measured and estimated. To establish credibility of carbon credits and ensure market integrity, a consistent and transparent crediting framework is needed.
Key findings: Different protocols use varied methods—ranging from direct soil sampling to modeling—to estimate SOC changes, leading to inconsistent results and concerns about the quality of carbon credits.
A proposed regional framework could standardize these protocols, ensuring more reliable and transparent carbon credits. This approach would involve monitoring and verifying changes at a regional level, using a combination of models and soil sampling across different zones. The framework aims to provide consistency across regions while addressing challenges like additionality (ensuring emissions reductions are genuine), leakage (preventing emission increases elsewhere), and permanence (maintaining carbon stocks over time).
Implementing such a regional system would require significant investment and collaboration between public and private entities, but it could enhance the credibility of carbon credits and support the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices on a larger scale. This approach aligns with corporate sustainability goals and could integrate with national greenhouse gas reduction efforts in the future.