This book is a product of the initial phase of a broader study
evaluating the voluntary and regulatory compliance protocols that are
used to account for the contributions of forests in U.S.-based
greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation programs. The research presented here is
particularly concerned with these protocols' use of the USDA Forest
Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data to describe forest
conditions, ownership, and management scenarios, and is oriented towards
providing regulators and other interested parties with an objective
comparison of the options, uncertainties, and opportunities available to
offset GHG emissions through forest management. Chapters focus on the
protocols for recognizing forest carbon offsets in the California carbon
cap-and-trade program, as described in the Compliance Offset Protocol;
U.S. Forest Projects (California Air Resources Board, 2011).
Readers will discover the protocols used for quantifying the offset of
GHG emissions through forest-related project activity. As such, its
scope includes a review of the current methods used in voluntary and
compliance forest protocols, an evaluation of the metrics used to assign
baselines and determine additionality in the forest offset protocols, an
examination of key quantitative and qualitative components and
assumptions, and a discussion of opportunities for modifying forest
offset protocols, in light of the rapidly changing GHG-related policy
and regulatory environment. Finally, the report also discusses
accounting and policy issues that create potential barriers to
participation in the California cap-and-trade program, and overall
programmatic additionality in addressing the needs of a mitigation
strategy.
