 Carbon Neutrality » Renewable v. Conservation
|
|
|
|
Tree planting includes not only re-creating natural forests (reforestation) and avoiding deforestation, but also monoculture tree farming on plantations for logging, biodiesel production, or other commercial purposes. The term "reforestation" is nevertheless often applied to monoculture tree farming as well as re-creating natural forests. There is also afforestation, which can produce higher carbon sequestration rates because it means establishing forests particularly on land not previously forested, for example on agricultural lands where baseline carbon levels are comparatively low.
Emissions trading offsets take two primary forms: subsidies for clean energy production, and allowances for carbon consumption. Different versions are available at the level of individual consumers, corporations, and entire nations.
Energy subsidy credits, such as green tags, are available to households and businesses in many developed nations. These credits are primarily used in situations where buying energy directly from a renewable source is not an option.
Renewable energy offsets commonly include wind power, solar power, and biofuel. Some of these offsets are used to reduce the cost-differential between renewable and conventional energy production. Others operate in developing countries, such as training local communities to produce biodiesel from jatropha oil.
Emissions trading markets, such as the voluntary Chicago Climate Exchange, allow companies which have reduced emissions below a specified target to sell their remaining allowances to other companies which did not reach the target. Hence, this increases the monetary incentive for conservation. Systems like the European Union Emission Trading Scheme and the Clean Development Mechanism operate in a similar fashion at the inter-governmental level.
Some offset providers sell in multiple markets, such as the Te Apiti wind farm in New Zealand, a project certified to the CDM Gold Standard which supplies offsets to the Dutch Government, British bank HSBC, and private citizens.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Other articles: Carbon Home | Renewable v. Conservation | Tree Planting | External Links | Carbon Calculators
|
| |
|
OOPS! You forgot to upload swfobject.js ! You must upload this file for your form to work.
 |