Abstract
As vegetation is an unstable dynamicsystem, emission credits generated bycarbon (C) sink projects under the CleanDevelopment Mechanism (CDM) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) KyotoProtocol suffer from an inherent permanencerisk. There are basically two approacheshow to balance greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions andC uptake in vegetation. The merit ofthe so-called `ton-year approach' is todestroy the fiction of infinity whentalking about permanent sequestration. Themerit of the temporary credits is todestroy the fiction of comparabilitybetween technological emission reductionand sequestration in natural systems. Thispresent article discusses the pros and consof both approaches, which have beenbrought forward as more or less unrelatedalternatives. By making use of bothmethodologies and providing a link betweenboth proposals on permanence in CDMforestry, the article puts forward theproposal of leasing reduction certificates.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blanco, J. and Forner, C.: 2000, 'Special Considerations Regarding the “Expiring CERs” Proposal', in J. Blanco and C. Forner (eds.), International Forum on Enhancement of Japan's Private Sector's Overseas Re-afforestation Cooperation, Bogotá, Ministerio del Medio Ambiente de Colombia, pp. 17.
Chomitz, K.M.: 1998, The Permanence and Duration Issue in Carbon Offsets based on Sequestration, Washington D.C.
Chomitz, K.M.: 2000, Evaluating Carbon Offsets from Forestry and Energy Projects: How do they compare?, Washington, D.C, World Bank Development Research Group Infrastructure and Environment.
Chomitz, K.M. and Thomas, T.S.: 2001, Geographic Patterns of Land Use and Intensity in the Brazilian Amazon, Washington, D.C., World Bank Development Research Group Infrastructure and Environment.
Cullet, P. and Kameri-Mbote, P.: 1998, 'Joint Implementation and forestry projects: Conceptual and operational fallacies', J. Int. Affairs 74, 393–408.
Dutschke, M.: 2001, Permanence of CDM Forests or Non-Permanence of Land Use related Carbon Credits?, Hamburg, Hamburg Institute of International Economics.
Dutschke, M.: 1998a, 'Creation and sharing of credits through the CDM', in Jepma, C.J. and Gaast, W.v.d.: On the Compatibility of Flexible Instruments, Dordrecht/Boston/London, 47–64.
Dutschke, M. and Michaelowa, A.: 1998b, Der Handel mit Emissionsrechten für Treibhausgase: Empfehlungen aus ökonomischer Sicht auf der Grundlage des Kyoto-Protokolls, Hamburg, HWWA-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung-Hamburg.
EcoSecurities: 2002, Comments on the Submission by Denmark on Behalf of the European Community and its Member States: Views on issues related to modalities for the inclusion of afforestation and reforestation project activities under the CDM in the first commitment period, Oxford, UK, EcoSecurities.
Ellis, J.: 2001, Forestry Projects: Permanence, Credit Accounting and Lifetime, Paris, OECD.
EUWP: 2002, Dealing with non-permanence, Credit Accounting and Lifetime, Paris, OECD.
Fearnside, P.M.: 2002, 'Why a 100-Year Time Horizon should be used for Global Warming Mitigation Calculations', Miti. & Adapt. Strat. Global Change, 19–30.
Goldberg, D.M.: 2000, Establishing Permanent Liability for LULUCF Projects, Washington D.C., Forest Trends.
Greenpeace: 2002, Submission by Greenpeace on Issues related to Modalities for including Afforestation and Reforestation under Article 12, Greenpeace International.
Hadley-Centre: 2000, Climate Change. An update of recent research from the Hadley Centre, Bracknell Berkshire, UK.
Kerr, S. and Leining, C.: 2000, Permanence of LULUCF CERs in the Clean Development Mechanism, Washington D.C., Center for Clean Air Policy.
Marland, G., Fruit, K. and Sedjo, R.A.: 2001a, 'Accounting for sequestered carbon: the question of permanence', Environmental Science and Policy 259–268.
Marland, G., Fruit, K. and Sedjo, R.A.: 2001b, Renting Carbon Offsets: The Question of Permanence, Washington D.C., Resources For the Future.
Meinshausen, M. and Hare, B.: 2000, Temporary Sinks do not cause Permanent Climatic Benefits: Achieving Short-Term Emission Reduction Targets at the Future's Expense, Greenpeace.
Moura-Costa, P.: 2001, Carbon Accounting, Trading and the Temporary Nature of Carbon Storage, Arlington, The Nature Conservancy.
Moura-Costa, P. and Wilson, C.: 2000, 'An Equivalence Factor between CO2 avoided Emissions and Sequestration – Description and Applications in Forestry', Miti. & Adapt. Strat. Global Change 5, 51–60.
Phillips, G., Aalders, E. and Lubrecht, I.: 2001, Forestry Issues outstanding from COP 6, Spijkenisse, Societé Generale de Surveillance, International Emissions Trading Association.
Schlamadinger, B., Aukland, L., Berg, S., Bradley, D., L. Ciccarese, Dameron, V., Faaij, A., Jackson, M., Marland, G. and Sikkema, R.: 2002, Forest-Based Carbon Mitigation Projects: Options for Carbon Accounting and for Dealing with Non-Permanence, Graz.
UNFCCC: 2000, Land Use, Land Use Change And Forestry (LULUCF) Projects In The CDM 2000, Expiring CERs.
UNFCCC: 2001a, Land use, land-use change and forestry.
UNFCCC: 2001b, Modalities and procedures for a clean development mechanism as defined in Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol.
UNFCCC: 2002a, Methodological Issues. Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry: Definitions and Modalities for Including Afforestation and Reforestation Activities under Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol.
UNFCCC: 2002b, Methodological Issues. Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry: Definitions and Modalities for Including Afforestation and Reforestation Activities under Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol, Addendum 1.
Watson, R.T., Noble, I.R., Bolin, B., Ravindranath, N.H., Verardo, D.J. and Dokken, D.J.: 2000, Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry, Cambridge, UK; New York, Published for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [by] Cambridge University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dutschke, M. Fractions of permanence – Squaring the cycle of sink carbon accounting. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 7, 381–402 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024775814723
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024775814723