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HomePosts Tagged "carbon credits"
R&D, Sustainability, World

The first-of-its-kind data highlights biochar’s potential to scale carbon removals as a win-win solution for people and the planet

Ground-breaking new research shows that carbon removal solution biochar can play a significant role in global emissions reductions at the global and national levels. The ancient farming practice can help countries mitigate climate change threats and decarbonise at scale while also adapting to the effects of climate change and unlocking economic and social benefits.

First developed by Indigenous communities in the Amazon thousands of years ago and now a rapidly expanding global industry, biochar is a material created by heating organic materials — such as forestry and crop residues — that would otherwise release emissions when decomposing. By converting these materials into biochar instead, carbon is locked for centuries to millennia. When used as a soil amendment, biochar can improve soil health and increase water and nutrient retention in soils, helping to both mitigate against and adapt to the effects of climate change.

Published in the peer-reviewed journal Biochar and commissioned by the International Biochar Initiative (IBI), the research quantifies biochar’s CDR potential across 155 countries, with net removal potential on a national and global scale, assuming a sustainable supply of no purpose-grown biomass quantities. Currently providing the vast majority of delivered carbon credits, biochar is an affordable, scalable, and readily available solution that, unlike other CDR methods, also provides environmental and social co-benefits like improved soil health leading to increased crop yields.

“This is the first research to quantify the significant role biochar can play in worldwide climate action and carbon removal strategies, at the level of individual countries. To scale biochar to its full potential, we now have a starting point of what is possible at the country level. By considering the climate impact of co-benefits such as fossil fuel displacement, improved crop yields, and healthier soil, we can also go farther, getting a better picture of biochar’s complete climate solution potential,” said Dr Thomas Trabold, co-author and research professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability. 

The report’s consideration of small-emitting countries is particularly significant. Though many small-emitting countries have contributed the least to climate change, they are experiencing its impacts disproportionately, from soil erosion to extreme weather. Biochar offers a circular and sustainable approach to climate change mitigation, giving these countries the opportunity to maximize carbon removal while increasing national and local revenues. It makes agricultural production more sustainable at all scales, from protecting soil security to creating employment opportunities at the community and commercial levels. For farmers facing multiple challenges related to climate change, biochar is a game-changer.

The first-of-its-kind data highlights biochar's potential to

Agrotech, Company News, Environment, Europe, Foodgrains, Sustainability

The new methodology will open a new source of income from the sale of carbon credits.

Geneva based Gold Standard have released a new methodology which will reduce methane emission from rice cultivation. Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard, said, “At Gold Standard our vision is climate security and sustainable development for all. By not only delivering a quantifiable reduction in the emissions of a potent greenhouse gas, but also providing a source of income to farmers this new methodology will bring us closer to that goal.”

Methane is produced when organic matter decomposes in flooded rice fields without access to oxygen. The new methodology will reduce the emission of methane by:

changing the water regime during the cultivation period from continuously to intermittently flooded conditions and/or a shortened period of flooded conditions.

using the alternate wetting and drying method.

adopting aerobic rice cultivation methods;

switching from transplanted to Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR).

As with all Gold Standard methodologies any reductions will be verified by an independent audit before any carbon credits are issued. The new methodology will open a new source of income from the sale of carbon credits. Around 140 million smallholders in Asia who produce most of the world’s rice.

These credits could be used towards corporate ‘beyond value chain mitigation’ targets, to take responsibility for ongoing emissions. Rice is also a commodity purchased by corporations through their value chains. Mitigation outcomes could therefore become reportable towards value chain targets, such as Scope 3. For companies purchasing rice from producers applying the methodology, these outcomes can be incorporated into accounting and reporting, subject to alignment with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Further work, through Gold Standard’s AIM Platform will assess the potential for market-based allocation of outcomes in future.

The new methodology is fully IPCC aligned and includes improved monitoring guidelines. It is also applicable to a broader scope of project – large and small-scale or micro-scale projects or PoAs. Put together this means that it is more user friendly than the previous methodology.

This methodology is adapted from the small-scale CDM methodology AMS-III.AU – Methane emission reduction by adjusted water management practice in rice, cultivation – Version 4.0. The CDM methodology is applicable for 30 days from the date of publication of the new methodology.

The methodology has been developed with inputs from the Eurecat Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, and from the International Rice Research Institute as part of a partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Government of Australia through the Business Partnerships Platform.

The new methodology will open a new

Climate, Company News, World

The credits were issued by the Climate Action Reserve (CAR), a globally trusted carbon market offset registry

AgriCapture is issued the first-ever avoided grasslands conversion carbon credits in Texas through a partnership with the property’s landowner and the Texas Agricultural Land Trust to protect soil carbon and ensure that the property’s native grasslands will not be converted. 

The credits were issued by the Climate Action Reserve (CAR), a globally trusted carbon market offset registry, to a Bailey County ranch. Located in the High Plains of the Texas Panhandle, the area is recognised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a New Dust Bowl Zone, where preserving native grassland habitats and preventing land use conversion is especially critical.

“We are proud to deliver the first avoided grasslands conversion carbon credits in the history of the state of Texas and thrilled that AgriCapture’s programs will unlock significant value for Texas landowners,” says Kam Kronenberg, AgriCapture Board Member and Texas landowner.  

 Based in Nashville, AgriCapture was created by a group of agriculture specialists, passionate environmentalists, and economists to combat climate change through sustainable agriculture. AgriCapture verifies Climate-Friendly agricultural practices on farms, ranches, and grasslands to track environmental benefits and boost profitability for agricultural partners across the country.

AgriCapture’s Avoided Grasslands Conversion Project is dedicated to protecting native grasslands and ranches from conversion to cropland, allowing the land to naturally sequester carbon, and prevent agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To facilitate the generation of carbon credits, AgriCapture methodically collects data on soil types, vegetative cover, land use history, and ranch operations to submit for registry verification and credit issuance under CAR’s Grasslands Protocol. The AgriCapture team quantifies avoided GHG emissions and monitors ranch operations to protect underground carbon storage.

The Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT) partnered with AgriCapture on the Bailey County project and holds the conservation easement that will protect the land from being converted or developed. The easement contains provisions that make the property eligible to receive carbon credits for sequestering and storing soil carbon, as well as eliminating emissions that would be associated with crop production. 

“We believe this bellwether project could result in future carbon credit revenue streams for agricultural landowners in Texas and beyond,” said Chad Ellis TALT CEO.

The credits were issued by the Climate Action

Agrotech, Company News, Environment, Europe, Sustainability

Carbonomy helps farmers reach certain standards which allow them to earn carbon credits.

Hedonova, a Paris-based hedge fund, has announced its equity investment of $16 million in Carbonomy’s Series A funding round at a valuation of $130 million. Carbonomy is a firm that helps farms become sustainable and increase their revenues by earning carbon credits.

This investment aligns with Hedonova’s commitment to investing in innovative and socially responsible projects that deliver long-term value to their clients. Hedonova recognises that sustainability and environmental responsibility are critical for the success of any business, and they are proud to support Carbonomy’s efforts in promoting sustainable agriculture practices.

Carbonomy’s platform enables farms to earn carbon credits by adopting sustainable practices such as reducing the use of fertilisers and pesticides, improving soil health, and implementing renewable energy solutions. Carbonomy helps farmers reach certain standards which allow them to earn carbon credits. These credits can then be sold to companies and organisations that want to offset their carbon footprint and achieve their sustainability goals.

“We are excited to support Carbonomy’s mission to help farms become more sustainable and increase their revenue. This investment will be part of our agricultural portfolio and will be used to service our current and new agri investments by helping them earn carbon credits,” says Alexander Cavendish, CEO of Hedonova. “Their innovative approach to promoting sustainable agriculture practices aligns with our commitment to investing in socially responsible projects that deliver long-term value for our clients.”

Carbonomy’s platform has the potential to revolutionise the agricultural industry by promoting sustainable practices and creating new revenue streams for farmers. By supporting Carbonomy’s growth, Hedonova aims to contribute to the development of a sustainable and socially responsible business model that delivers long-term value for all stakeholders.

“We are thrilled to have the support of Hedonova in our mission to promote sustainable agriculture practices,” says Mark David Frank, CEO of Carbonomy. “This investment will enable us to expand our platform and reach more farmers, helping them to earn more revenue while adopting environmentally responsible practices.”

Carbonomy helps farmers reach certain standards which

Company News, North America, Sustainability

Payments for over 25,000 acres delivered to farmers

Corteva, Inc. has announced payments to farmers who produced credits as participants in the 2021 pilot of Corteva Agriscience’s Carbon Initiative. This is a significant milestone in the quest to validate carbon markets in the agriculture sector, as building solutions that support and incentivise farmers to reduce these emissions is critical for the food system at large.

This pilot which first launched Corteva’s Carbon Initiative in April 2021 to corn and soyabean farmers in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa — was designed to test the ability of the company to deliver scalable scope 3 emissions outcomes for food company buyers that would be consistent with climate accounting guidance. Corteva Agriscience has paired this commercial pilot with fundamental research, including soil sampling acres beyond what current certification agency requirements, creating a dataset that serves as a baseline for monitoring the progress on these acres over time.

“In partnership with our strategic collaborators, Corteva Agriscience is moving the needle when it comes to delivering carbon solutions at scale in agriculture,” said Emma Fuller, Carbon and Ecosystems Programmes Leader with Corteva Agriscience. “Soils are a high-potential pathway for reducing and sequestering carbon to address greenhouse gas emissions – but these programmes must deliver real outcomes and work at scale on millions of acres to make an impact. That is where pilots, such as the scope 3 work through Corteva’s Carbon Initiative, are critical.”

Building on this pilot, Corteva’s Carbon Initiative completed its first major expansion in August 2021 through a joint effort with Indigo Ag, a collaborator whose investments in science and technology have continued to expand eligibility and improve the measurement, reporting and verification required to produce high quality carbon outcomes.

“Scientifically rigorous quantification is the key to success for both sides of the agricultural sustainability market – from growers looking to translate their efforts to the most value, to the companies looking to reduce their scope 3 emissions with confidence and trust in the realness of the results,” said A J Kumar, Vice President of Sustainability Sciences with Indigo Ag.

Payments for over 25,000 acres delivered to

Sustainability

This new carbon credit model will support farmers as they expand sustainable and regenerative practices

UPL Limited, a global provider of sustainable agricultural solutions, has announced the European launch of the Gigaton Carbon Goal, a new series of global initiatives to sequester one gigaton (one billion tons) of atmospheric carbon dioxide by 2040.

UPL will enable agri-ecosystems to create, implement and validate carbon emission and capture protocols. This will generate carbon credits that directly benefit farmers with the potential for additional revenue streams. This new carbon credit model will support farmers as they expand sustainable and regenerative practices, directly benefitting the environment and positioning agriculture as a climate-positive industry.

UPL will mobilise its resources, experience, and global network to identify, invest in, and supply the tools, techniques and technologies that can help equip and empower each farmer.

Jai Shroff, CEO of UPL Limited, said, “We’re reimagining sustainability to see agriculture become climate-positive and farmers empowered with new sources of income. Our partnership with FIFA, who share our commitment to fostering sustainable and inclusive growth, exemplifies the goals of our OpenAg network, which puts collaboration at the heart of progress and sustainability. We look forward to working with FIFA and farmers to positively contribute to farmer livelihoods, the health and productivity of fields, our global food future, and the fight against climate change.”

The Gigaton Carbon Goal pilot phase is already underway with more than 100 000 farmers across 230 000 hectares in Europe, the Americas and Asia, and the initiative aims to cover more than 100 million hectares, the equivalent of 100 million football fields.

This new carbon credit model will support

AgroPolicy, Environment, Finance, Sustainability

Experts opine for adopting sustainable agricultural practices to help farmers in the long run

The agriculture sector is looking ahead for Budget 2022 and has a lot of expectations from the Finance Minister.
According to Prithviraj Sen Sharma, MD and Country Head, Agoro Carbon Alliance, India, Indian growers are poised to benefit greatly from the fresh thinking the administrative bodies have around building newer, smarter, more digitally-connected ways of producing more food with fewer resources. With initiatives like More Crop Per Drop, we are taking the first steps towards building longer-term resiliency towards more and more frequent climate swings and shifts in the geo-political scenario to cement India’s place as one of the most important node points ensuring food security globally.

He says, “The upcoming union budget should reflect the shift in attitude towards being more grower-centric, building highly resilient food distribution mechanisms and ensuring our farmers are adequately compensated for their work.”

According to Dhruv Sawhney, Business Head and COO, nurture.farm, to improve farmer incomes, one has to focus on adopting sustainable agricultural practices. Incentivising this for Indian farmers will have a two-pronged impact – on the one hand, it will improve the carbon footprint of agriculture, making it climate-friendly, and on the other, by leveraging carbon credits, farmers will have a scope to earn higher incomes. With the second-largest arable land in the world, India can be a world leader in establishing the potential impact on climate and farmer incomes by adopting sustainable agriculture practices. Enabling public-private partnerships in this domain can help Indian farmers leapfrog towards climate-friendly, sustainable and profitable agriculture.

Experts opine for adopting sustainable agricultural practices