The Climate Action Reserve (Reserve) has developed an agriculture sector Nitrogen Management Project Protocol (NMPP) to provide guidance on how to quantify, monitor, and verify greenhouse gas emission reductions from improving nitrogen use efficiency in crop production. The final draft of the protocol is now available and will be considered by the Reserve Board on June 27, 2012.
Agriculture Protocols Overview
- Nitrogen Management Project Protocol Version 1.0 for Board Approval June 22, 2012)
- Nitrogen Management Project Protocol Version 1.0 for Board Approval – REDLINE (June 22, 2012)
Public Comments
The public comment period closed on May 23, 2012. Public comments and staff responses to public comments are available for download below.
Public Comment Workshop
The Reserve hosted a public workshop in Sacramento, CA, to provide a venue for feedback on the draft Nitrogen Management Project Protocol. Workshop materials and meeting video are available below.
Nitrogen Management Project Protocol Public Workshop
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Science Advisory Committee
The Reserve together with the Nicholas Institute of Duke University assembled a group of leading scientific experts to form a Science Advisory Committee (SAC). The purpose of the SAC is to help the Reserve interpret and apply the best available science into the NMPP. Committee membership was by invitation from the Reserve and the Nicholas Institute and was based on scientific expertise, knowledge of GHG protocol development issues, and explicit interest in translating research into GHG mitigation policy applications for agriculture.
The Reserve previously held an all-day workshop for the SAC on September 7, 2011 and the summary report is available below.
- SAC Meeting Summary (November 22, 2011)
Workgroup
The Reserve is working closely with a multi-stakeholder workgroup to develop the Nitrogen Management Project Protocol. The workgroup includes industry representatives, federal agency personnel, environmental organizations, verifiers and expert consultants. The workgroup includes representatives from:
| Ag Refresh | Scotia Capital, Inc. |
| Blue Source | Stanford Law School |
| Camco | UC Davis |
| The Clark Group, LLC / Agricultural Carbon Market Working Group | UC Davis, Agricultural Sustainability Institute |
| Environmental Defense Fund | Union of Concerned Scientists |
| Environmental Services, Inc. | U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, West National Technology Support Center |
| Independent Scientist, Ecosystem Modeling | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| Michigan State University | Western Growers Association |
| Natural Resources Defense Council | Western United Dairymen |
| Preferred Carbon Group |
Workgroup Meetings
Workgroup meetings are open to the public. Interested stakeholders can join the workgroup calls as an “observer” and listen to the workgroup discuss important issues for protocol development. Observers will not have the ability to participate in calls but will be able to stay informed by listening to the conversations as they unfold. If you are planning to participate as an observer and would like to receive workgroup meeting notices, send a message to policy@climateactionreserve.org. Workgroup meeting dates will also be posted below, as soon as they are scheduled.
In-Person Workgroup Meeting: San Francisco
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video: Due to technical difficulties, the meeting video/audio will not be available.
Nitrogen Management Project Protocol Version 1.0 Workgroup Draft (April 4, 2012)
Please note: This draft is not for public comment. It is a working draft for protocol workgroup discussions. Public comment on the draft protocol will take place soon and all stakeholders will be notified at that time.
Workgroup Meeting 6
January 25, 2012
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Workgroup Meeting 5
November 10, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Workgroup Meeting 4
October 25, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
In-Person Workgroup Meeting: Los Angeles
August 1, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Nitrogen Management Project Protocol Version 1.0 Workgroup Draft (July 27, 2011)
Please note: This draft is not for public comment. It is a working draft for protocol workgroup discussions. Public comment on the draft protocol will take place later this year and all stakeholders will be notified at that time.
Workgroup Meeting 2
June 27, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Kick-Off Meeting
May 18, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Credit Stacking Subcommittee
The Reserve has also formed a Credit Stacking Subcommittee to help inform policies to evaluate project sites where multiple ecosystem service credits or payments may be available. This subcommittee is made up of workgroup members and invited experts. Subcommittee meetings will also be open to the public.
Credit Stacking Subcommittee Meeting 4
Thursday, March 22, 2012
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT
Agenda
Register Here
Credit Stacking Subcommittee Meeting 3
September 22, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Credit Stacking Subcommittee Meeting 2
August 10, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Credit Stacking Subcommittee Kick-off Meeting
July 12, 2011
Agenda
Reserve Presentation
Meeting Video
Credit Stacking Kick-off Meeting Memo
Background Resources
Documents that generally support development of the Nitrogen Management Project Protocol are posted below. Documents that support specific workgroup meetings are posted under the respective meeting dates above, as they become available. Immediately below there is a link to information about the agriculture protocols scoping process, including background resources and presentation slides from the scoping meeting.
- Background Paper: Quantification of Emission Reductions (December 22, 2011)
- Background Paper: Methodology Synthesis for Nitrogen Management (May 6, 2011)
If you have questions about the Nitrogen Management protocol development process, please contact Policy at policy@climateactionreserve.org.