Organic waste and coal mine methane projects now eligible to register with the Climate Action Reserve

Adoption of two new protocols expands the types of high quality offset credits issued in the US voluntary carbon market

SACRAMENTO, CA – The Climate Action Reserve Board of Directors unanimously adopted the Organic Waste Digestion (OWD) and Coal Mine Methane (CMM) Project Protocols and broadened the reach and diversity of offset projects that can be registered with the premier offsets registry. The two protocols provide financial incentives for implementing activities that help mitigate climate change and that go beyond usual business practices in the solid waste and coal mine sectors.

“With the adoption of the Organic Waste Digestion and Coal Mine Methane Project Protocols, the Climate Action Reserve now offers eight protocols for use in generating high quality offsets. In dealing with the urgent issue of climate change, we need credible, practical solutions that truly provide benefit to the environment. All of the Reserve protocols, including the two newest ones, provide comprehensive tools that allow us to work together in addressing climate change and generate immediate benefits to the environment,” said Linda Adams, Chair of the Climate Action Reserve Board of Directors and Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency.

Food waste decomposes rapidly in landfills and is a major source of methane emissions, which are over 21 times more potent to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Currently, less than three percent of food waste in the U.S. is diverted. The OWD Project Protocol is the nation’s first protocol to incentivize the diversion of food waste from landfills. It provides a standardized approach for quantifying, monitoring and verifying greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from organic waste diversion projects. Instead of organic waste being buried in landfills, where it will produce and emit methane, it is diverted into anaerobic digesters. The protocol also allows for the capture and destruction of methane at industrial wastewater treatment facilities.

“Diverting food scraps from landfills to anaerobic digesters not only directly reduces potent greenhouse gases, but also provides clean fuels and renewable energy to help the state meet its climate goals,” said Nick Lapis, Policy Associate, Californians Against Waste.

Coal mining is another source of methane. The amount of methane emitted from underground mines is not proportionate to production; it is estimated that underground mines account for over 60 percent of total methane emissions from coal mining. The CMM Project Protocol provides a standardized approach for quantifying, monitoring and verifying GHG reductions from projects that destroy methane at active underground coal mines. This first version of the protocol covers ventilation air methane (VAM) projects and non-pipeline drainage projects. The protocol incentivizes coal mines to destroy or utilize coal mine methane that is currently removed from mines and vented into the atmosphere for safety reasons.

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Nitric Acid Production Project Protocol Public Workshop in Little Rock, AR on October 23

Nitric Acid Production Project Protocol Public Workshop

Title: Nitric Acid Production Project Protocol Public Workshop
Location: Little Rock, AR
The Peabody Little Rock – Salon A
Three Statehouse Plaza
Little Rock, AR 72201
Date: October 23, 2009
Start Time: 3:00 PM CDT
End Time: 5:00 PM CDT
Room Reservations: 1-501-906-4000

RSVP Here

Description:
The Reserve is hosting a public workshop to provide a venue for public feedback on the draft Nitric Acid Production Project Protocol. The public workshop is scheduled for Friday, October 23, 2009 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
If you plan on attending or calling in, please RSVP below by October 19, 2009. An agenda will be provided to all participants prior to the meeting.

If you have questions about the workshop, please contact Nancy Kong at 213-542-0286 or nkong@climateactionreserve.org.

Reserve Staff Draft New Project ‘Start Date’ Policy for Consideration by Board

At its meeting on September 1, 2009 the Climate Action Reserve’s Board of Directors instructed Reserve staff to consider and propose a revised “start date” policy for offset projects that are implemented prior to registering with the Reserve. The Reserve’s current policy states that after a new protocol is adopted, projects with start dates as early as January 1, 2001 are eligible to register for a period of 12 months. The revised policy would address concerns that an eligibility window for projects going back to 2001 no longer provides a strong enough assurance of additionality (even where projects otherwise meet all of a protocol’s additionality and eligibility criteria). The Reserve staff have drafted a revised policy intended to better balance recognition for early actors with the need to ensure rigorous standards for additionality. This revised policy will be considered by the Board at its October 7, 2009 meeting.

Coal Mine Methane and Organic Waste Digestion Protocols to be presented for adoption at October 7 Board meeting

Meeting of the Board of Directors

Title: Meeting of the Board of Directors
Location: CalEPA Headquarters Building, Room 550 and via Webinar

Description:
Meeting of the Board of Directors

Download Agenda PDF

To join the webinar: 1. Go to https://car-meetings.webex.com/car-meetings/j.php?ED=109577357&UID=0&PW=NNjliODViNWQy&RT=MiM0
2. Enter your name and email address.
3. Enter the meeting password: Board107
4. Click “Join Now”.

To join the audio: Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada): 866-699-3239 Call-in toll free (Mexico): 001-866-885-0337
Access code: 804 220 079

Date: October 7, 2009
Start Time: 12:00 PM
End Time: 4:00 PM

New Climate Action Reserve standard brings US forests into the carbon market

Adoption of the Forest Project Protocol version 3.0 paves the way for forest projects earning carbon credits and mitigating climate change

LOS ANGELES, CA – With the adoption of the landmark Forest Project Protocol version 3.0, forest projects across the U.S. are now poised to make a highly anticipated entrance into the carbon market while encompassing a defined and measured role for mitigating climate change. The previous version of the protocol generated significant attention for forest offset projects in California, and it is expected version 3.0 will generate attention nationally and internationally, especially as global communities look to the power of forests and forest management to effectively address climate change.

“I commend members of the forest workgroup, general public and Climate Action Reserve staff for the outstanding levels of commitment, dedication and time they made towards this tremendous accomplishment. The Forest Project Protocol is a groundbreaking document that will be looked at around the world. Getting the protocol adopted was just one step in the process. Our next critical step is to get the protocol into practice and used in the real world,” said Linda Adams, Chair of the Climate Action Reserve Board of Directors and California Secretary for Environmental Protection Agency.

All Climate Action Reserve protocols are developed through a transparent process that includes public comment periods and collaboration with a multi-stakeholder workgroup. The Forest Project Protocol workgroup included representatives from diverse and numerous stakeholders in the forest sector. Version 3.0 of the protocol is the sum of nearly two years of work from this workgroup and over 300 pages of submitted public comments, and it exists as a living document. The end goals were to create guidelines that provide accurate and comprehensive direction for accounting greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets from forest projects and realistic implementation in real world practices.

“Forests play a critical role preserving environmental quality and mitigating climate change. But they have to be managed carefully and responsibly. That’s why it’s critical to have a rigorous standard that can be applied nationally. The Forest Project Protocol has the advantage of being developed jointly by diverse groups with interest and expertise in forests. Environmental Defense Fund enthusiastically endorses the adoption of the Forest Project Protocol which will encourage a host of projects that provide multiple environmental benefits,” said Eric Holst Managing Director of the Center for Conservation Incentives, Environmental Defense Fund.

Several other companies have already indicated they are ready to utilize the Forest Project Protocol in their business activities. The Climate Action Reserve has been notified of potential forest projects in several states across the country that will be submitted for listing.

“As a leading investor in forest carbon projects, Equator LLC offers its strong support for the adoption of the Forest Project Protocol by the Climate Action Reserve. This protocol represents an important advancement in forest offset development and will drive investment into critical early action projects,” said Eron Bloomgarden, President, Environmental Markets of Equator LLC.

Like all Climate Action Reserve protocols, the Forest Project Protocol version 3.0 provides guidance for development of high quality offset projects and resulting credits. High quality is defined as being real, additional, permanent, verifiable and enforceable. Key updates to the Forest Project Protocol version 3.0 include:

Expanded applicability so the protocol may be used with projects throughout the U.S.
Standardized requirements and improved guidance for estimating baselines for reforestation, improved forest management and avoided conversion projects
An option for registering reforestation projects on lands that have recently undergone a significant natural disturbance
Explicit requirements and mechanisms to ensure permanence of credited GHG reductions
Improved requirements for more comprehensively addressing leakage
Requirements and guidance for accounting for carbon in harvested wood products
Refinement of the definition of “natural forest management”

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Reminder: Board meeting Sept 1; Forest Project Protocol presented for adoption

Forest & Urban Forest Project Verification Training

Title: Forest & Urban Forest Project Verification Training
Location: Los Angeles, Pacific Center Ballroom
Start Date: October 5-6, 2009
Start Time: 08:00 AM PDT
End Time: 5:00 PM PDT

Description:
This training is designed to qualify verifiers to perform project verifications under the Climate Action Reserve’s Forest & Urban Forest Project Protocols. The purpose is to provide a consistent understanding of the Reserve’s expectations for the proper verification procedures. This course will provide a brief summary of forest project accounting concepts and principles, performance monitoring and reporting instructions, protocol eligibility requirements, understanding carbon stocks, calculating baselines, performing core verification activities and procedures for completing verification within the Reserve.

Participants who complete the course and pass the final exam will fulfill a significant eligibility requirement to be qualified as a Lead Project Verifier.

Note: This course assumes that all participants have experience and knowledge on GHG verification and starts from an advanced level. Individuals desiring training on basic GHG verifier skills should take an outside course and/or rely on their verification body’s own internal practices to gain GHG verification experience.

For any individual to be qualified as a Lead Verifier and eligible to conduct verification activities under the Reserve, he/she must meet the following criteria:

Attend and successfully complete a required Project Verifier training under the Climate Action Reserve protocols (receive a Certificate of Completion for the training course)
Be employed or subcontracted to a verification body accredited under ISO 14065 OR an another approved verification body under the Climate Action Reserve
Meet the internal training requirements, following the proper processes and procedures under their ISO 14065 accredited verification body or their approved verification body under the Reserve
Be identified as “Lead Verifier” in the Designated Staff roster submitted by their verification body to reserve@climateactionreserve.org

Course Requirements
In preparation for this course, all participants should:

Understand WRI’s GHG Project Protocol
Have read the Reserve’s Forest and Urban Forest Reporting and Verification Protocols
Bring a laptop to take the course examination

Course Overview
Please be aware as you are making your travel plans that this session will only proceed if we receive a minimum of 10 participants. The Reserve will notify you at least 2 weeks prior if the session will proceed. Also, the session will conclude with a mandatory, timed exam from 3:00-5:00 PM. You must sit and pass the exam to receive a Certificate of Completion and to be qualified as a Lead Verifier under the Climate Action Reserve; there are no exceptions. If you do not wish to take the exam, you may leave at 3:00 PM and receive a Certificate of Attendance. Any individual who does not pass the exam will also receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Exam Time: 2 hours
Part 1: Multiple choice (30 minutes)
Part 2: Short essay (30 minutes)
Part 3: Data interpretation exercise (60 minutes) *For those wishing to re-take the exam from previous project verifier trainings, you may do so at this time by paying a $200 re-sit fee OR contact the Programs Team to find another possible time.*

To sign up for the next training contact Peter Browning @ peter@climateactionreserve.org or (213) 542-0297

Payment Information

The price of this training is $1,300.00 USD. You will be supplied with a credit card authorization form once you have successfully completed your registration. Please email our webmaster for any help.

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Coal Mine Methane and Organic Waste Digestion Project Verification Training

Title: Coal Mine Methane and Organic Waste Digestion Project Verification Training
Location: Los Angeles, Pacific Center Ballroom
Start Date: October 26-27, 2009
Start Time: 8:00 AM PDT
End Time: 5:00 PM PDT

Description:
This training is designed to qualify verifiers to perform project verifications under the Climate Action Reserve’s Coal Mine Methane and Organic Waste Digestion Project Protocols. The purpose is to provide a consistent understanding of the Reserve’s expectations for the proper verification procedures. This course will provide a brief summary of project accounting concepts and principles, performance monitoring and reporting instructions, protocol eligibility requirements, calculating baselines, performing core verification activities and procedures for completing verification within the Reserve.