Transcript An Assessment of Carbon Sequestration and Future Funding

Conservation Ontario
Green Economy Road Map
June 15, 2012
Tom Prout, General Manager,
Ausable Bayfield Conservation
What is a Green Economy?
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Administration Green - things we buy
Conservation Green – things we do
Service Green – services we provide
Some Green costs us money and some
Green makes us money and it all
contributes to the Economy
Historical Green
• Conservation Authorities have been
contributing to a Green Economy since 1946.
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Green staff
Green policies
Green services (conservation services)
Green partnerships
• Now is no time to stop being Green Leaders
A Bit of Philosophy
 We may not have the answer . . .
. . . doing nothing will guarantee we never will
 Partnerships = Success
 No one said partnerships are easy
 Make friends with your adversaries
– no one is wrong all of the time
A Bit More Philosophy
 Make friends with your enemies
– they may have the money you need to carry out a project
and you may have the expertise they need to carry out a project
 Remember the old saying - insanity is
“people doing the same thing over and over again
and expecting different results”
 Choice Theory –
“All we can give another person is information.”
Information
“Green Economy Road Map”
– Just terms and concepts,
but what do they mean?
Trying to make sense out of:
 Carbon sequestration and
 Future funding opportunities?
Information
“Forests have small impact on carbon emissions.”
College of Social and Applied Human Sciences
Insight, Professors Ze’ev Gedalof and Aaron Berg
“The conservancy announced it is earning $4 million with the
largest forest carbon-credit project in North America from its
55,000-hectare Darkwood forest in southeastern B.C.”
- The Record.com
Trying to Understand Carbon Sequestration
and Future Funding Opportunities
 The carbon-offset value on 700,000 tonnes of emissions
 Pacific Carbon Trust
— the B.C. Crown corporation
that helps market carbon offsets
purchased 450,000 credits from the conservancy and
the private Vancouver company Ecosystem
Restoration Associates bought 250,000 credits.
 Both firms will resell the credits
to clients who want to meet carbon reduction goals.
Trying to Understand Carbon Sequestration
and Future Funding Opportunities
 $4 million divided by 700,000 tons = $5.71/tonnes
 $4 million divided by 55,000 hectares = $72.70/ ha
 700,000 tonnes divided by 55,000 hectares
= 12.7 tonnes of carbon/hectare
 Credit Valley Conservation Authority’s study on
‘Present and Future Carbon Storage’ suggests they
have a carbon density of 331 tonnes per hectare?
Does this mean NCC has 318.3 tonnes of
carbon/ha to sell?
Questions
1. When trees die and decompose
is the carbon released back into the environment?
2. How long is the agreement with the Nature Conservancy
and Pacific Carbon Trust?
3. Is carbon stored longer if the wood is harvested (sustainably)
and used for furniture and houses?
4. The carbon credits sold by NCC are not new,
should the carbon credits be new?
5. What value is there in ABCA’s forests, wetlands,
stewardship projects, future projects?
6. Is the public willing to pay to offset
their personal carbon footprint?
ABCA Land Stewardship:
An Assessment of Carbon Sequestration and Future
Funding Opportunities
Stephen Boles, MSc
President, Kuzuka Ltd.
Who is Steve Boles?
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, University of Waterloo (1996)
Master of Science, University of Alaska (1998)
WORK EXPERIENCE
Research Scientist, Climate Change Research Center, University of N.H. (1999 – 2007)
President, Kuzuka Ltd., (2007 – present)
Instructor (GHG Management), Sustainability Learning Centre, (2010 – present)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
KUZUKA Clients
The Carbon Issue
Rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are causing climate change:
Climate change impacts many aspects of human life:
FOOD PRODUCTION & SUPPLY
WATER AVAILABILITY
INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTATION COSTS
INSURANCE PREMIUM COSTS
SPECIES SHIFT & EXTINCTION
A lot of Interest in Carbon and Greenhouse Gases
O.Reg. 397/11 – mandatory GHG reporting and
Energy Management Plans by all municipalities and other
government organizations over next two years
Carbon Offsets allow businesses or individuals
to voluntarily reduce all or part of their carbon
footprint that can’t be avoided by investing in
GHG-reducing projects like wind farms or
reforestation.
Rice Husk Bio-energy
Ontario Reforestation
Community Ecosystem
Restoration in BC
Te Apiti Wind Farm
Sudan Bio-sand
Water Filters
Madagascar Avoided
Deforestation
Why Should ABCA Care About This?
Multi-stakeholder interest in GHG and carbon
A POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR ABCA AND ITS
CONSERVATION PARTNERS
Objectives of Our Project
Quantify the carbon storage of ABCA forest projects (new
plantings and existing plots) through literature review
Identify ways to communicate the carbon storage of ABCA forests
to interested stakeholders by comparing it to equivalent GHG
reductions
Identify opportunities that are available in the private sector to
obtain funding for stewardship projects (e.g. sponsorships)
Recommend next steps that the ABCA should consider to begin
accessing sources of private sector funding for forest projects
Carbon Storage in ABCA Forests
Carbon Storage Communication Examples
Sources of Funding – Corporate Sponsorships
For the launch of Blue Planet enviro light
bulbs, Canadian Tire donated $2 for every
package of bulbs bought ($250,000 total)
Donation to plant 8000 trees to celebrate
launch of paperless statements ($20,000
total)
Donation to greening schools program
to celebrate their 50th anniversary
($85,000 total)
Donation to tree planting efforts to
celebrate the launch of new
biodegradable pens ($20,000 total)
Recommendations
1. Provide continued support to your charitable partner organizations (e.g.
Conservation Foundation, Land Trust Conservancy) as the avenue for receiving
and soliciting corporate sponsorships.
2. Consider engaging with other stewardship organizations in southwestern
Ontario to discuss the establishment of partnerships that would increase
marketing opportunities and geographic coverage.
3. Develop a list of potential corporate sponsors for whom a relationship with
ABCA would be a ‘good fit’ with their community focus and sustainability
mandate (NextEra Energy, Ellison Travel, BM Ross, Bluewater Recycling, United
Communities Credit Union)
Recommendations
4.
Create a staff or contract position dedicated to obtaining corporate
sponsorships and donations.
5.
Develop a formal communications strategy tailored for corporate sponsorships
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Establish a goal or target pertaining to watershed forest cover against which
corporate sponsorships will be applied.
Recommendations
7. Use the benefits of the ABCA’s land stewardship initiatives using carbon-based
themes in communication and outreach.
8. Update the ABCF page on the ABCA website to provide the opportunity for
individuals and small businesses to donate directly through an online payment
gateway.
Thank you!