[Terrapreta] free National Greenhouse Gas Accounting Toolbox

[Michael Bailes]

*Has anyone seen such a toolbox?
How do they work?
Is charcoal part of the mix?*

*Michael
*

*Greenhouse gas offsets from biosequestration
*
Bio-sequestration projects have been criticised for their vulnerability,
particularly the risk of greenhouse gas reentering the atmosphere as a
result of fires or drought-induced tree death. As some parts of Australia
enter their 11th year of drought, and scientists warn of higher risks of
bushfires in coming decades, it is hard to see how bio-sequestration
projects can guarantee carbon storage.

However, the key point to make is that reafforestation and revegetation
projects are enormously important in helping to preserve biodiversity and
restore habitat. It is significant that national 'icon' organisations such
as Greening Australia – which has over 20 years' experience in working with
more than 10 000 Australian farmers – are now entering the greenhouse gas
offset market with greenhouse gas offset products that also promise to
restore biodiversity to the Australian landscape.

These same organisations are making efforts to minimise the risk of bushfire
and drought impacts on their bio-sequestration projects. Also worth noting
is that timber products and paper from sustainable plantations can store
greenhouse gas for over 1000 years, as shown by recent research from the ANU
and CRC for Greenhouse Accounting, reported in an earlier issue of *Ecos.15*

*Bio-sequestration accounting

*One of the challenges of bio-sequestration projects is accurately measuring
the amount of greenhouse gas stored. To address this, the AGO has sent
thousands of its free National Greenhouse Gas Accounting Toolbox CDs*16* to
farmers and landholders.

The toolbox enables users to track greenhouse gas emissions and 'greenhouse
gas stock' changes from different land-use and management options.

The former CRC for Greenhouse Accounting*17* developed simple online
calculators that allow farmers and plantation managers to accurately
calculate how much CO2 they are sequestering through changing land-use
patterns and through afforestation, reafforestation and revegetation
efforts.

In summary, carbon offsets need to be seen in the context of a broader
portfolio of climate change mitigation strategies, including energy
efficiency and sourcing energy from low-carbon sources.


FROM
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/features/20080602-16852.html
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