Measuring and Monitoring Carbon in the Agricultural and Forestry Sectors

Measuring and Monitoring Carbon in the Agricultural and Forestry Sectors

Author: Ross W. Gorte

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 6

ISBN-13:

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Proposals to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases often include the use of forestry and agricultural practices and lands for carbon sequestration. However, uncertainty about the accuracy of measuring carbon from these activities has led some to question this potential. Basic approaches for measuring forest and agricultural carbon include on-site measurement; indirect measurement from off-site tools; and estimation using models or inferences. Because of challenges associated with balancing the cost and accuracy of these measurement tools, any practicable system for measuring forest and agricultural carbon might require a mix of these approaches. Concerns about global climate change and its impacts on the environment and the economy are encouraging policy-makers and stakeholders to explore a range of options to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs).1 Congress is considering legislation that would, among other things, provide incentives for parties to reduce or mitigate GHG emissions or to sequester (store) additional CO2.2 The possible use of forestry and agricultural practices and lands to mitigate or sequester CO2 is part of the debate. However, substantial uncertainty exists about current ability to accurately quantify, monitor, and verify the amount of carbon sequestered by various agricultural and forestry practices. By comparison, measuring the carbon from a discrete point source, such as a power plant, is relatively easy and precise. Incorporating the agriculture and forestry sectors in an emissions reduction program will likely require a firm basis for measuring carbon inventories and change for forestry and agricultural practices and lands.


Book Synopsis Measuring and Monitoring Carbon in the Agricultural and Forestry Sectors by : Ross W. Gorte

Download or read book Measuring and Monitoring Carbon in the Agricultural and Forestry Sectors written by Ross W. Gorte and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Proposals to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases often include the use of forestry and agricultural practices and lands for carbon sequestration. However, uncertainty about the accuracy of measuring carbon from these activities has led some to question this potential. Basic approaches for measuring forest and agricultural carbon include on-site measurement; indirect measurement from off-site tools; and estimation using models or inferences. Because of challenges associated with balancing the cost and accuracy of these measurement tools, any practicable system for measuring forest and agricultural carbon might require a mix of these approaches. Concerns about global climate change and its impacts on the environment and the economy are encouraging policy-makers and stakeholders to explore a range of options to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs).1 Congress is considering legislation that would, among other things, provide incentives for parties to reduce or mitigate GHG emissions or to sequester (store) additional CO2.2 The possible use of forestry and agricultural practices and lands to mitigate or sequester CO2 is part of the debate. However, substantial uncertainty exists about current ability to accurately quantify, monitor, and verify the amount of carbon sequestered by various agricultural and forestry practices. By comparison, measuring the carbon from a discrete point source, such as a power plant, is relatively easy and precise. Incorporating the agriculture and forestry sectors in an emissions reduction program will likely require a firm basis for measuring carbon inventories and change for forestry and agricultural practices and lands.


Measurement Guidelines for the Sequestration of Forest Carbon

Measurement Guidelines for the Sequestration of Forest Carbon

Author: Timothy R. H. Pearson

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 48

ISBN-13:

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Measurement guidelines for forest carbon sequestration were developed to support reporting by public and private entities to greenhouse gas registries. These guidelines are intended to be a reference for designing a forest carbon inventory and monitoring system by professionals with a knowledge of sampling, statistical estimation, and forest measurements. This report provides guidance on defining boundaries; measuring, monitoring, and estimating changes in carbon stocks; implementing plans to measure and monitor carbon; and developing quality assurance and quality control plans to ensure credible and reproducible estimates of the carbon credits.


Book Synopsis Measurement Guidelines for the Sequestration of Forest Carbon by : Timothy R. H. Pearson

Download or read book Measurement Guidelines for the Sequestration of Forest Carbon written by Timothy R. H. Pearson and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Measurement guidelines for forest carbon sequestration were developed to support reporting by public and private entities to greenhouse gas registries. These guidelines are intended to be a reference for designing a forest carbon inventory and monitoring system by professionals with a knowledge of sampling, statistical estimation, and forest measurements. This report provides guidance on defining boundaries; measuring, monitoring, and estimating changes in carbon stocks; implementing plans to measure and monitor carbon; and developing quality assurance and quality control plans to ensure credible and reproducible estimates of the carbon credits.


Field Measurements for Forest Carbon Monitoring

Field Measurements for Forest Carbon Monitoring

Author: Coeli M Hoover

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2008-10-20

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 1402085060

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In the summer of 2003, a workshop was held in Portsmouth, NH, to discuss land measurement techniques for the North American Carbon Program. Over 40 sci- tists representing government agencies, academia and nonprofit research organi- tions located in Canada, the US and Mexico participated. During the course of the workshop a number of topics were discussed, with an emphasis on the following: • The need for an intermediate tier of carbon measurements. This level of study would be more extensive than state-level inventories of the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, but less detailed than intensive ecos- tem studies sites such as those in Long Term Ecological Research network. This tier would ideally provide a basis to link and scale remote sensing measurements and inventory data, and supply data required to parameterize existing models (see Wofsy and Harriss 2002, Denning et al. 2005). • The design criteria that such a network of sites should meet. The network and s- pling design should be standardized, but flexible enough to be applied across North America. The design also needs to be efficient enough to be implemented without the need for large field crews, yet robust enough to provide useful information. Finally, the spatial scale must permit easy linkage to remotely sensed data. • The key variables that should be measured at each site, and the frequency of measurement.


Book Synopsis Field Measurements for Forest Carbon Monitoring by : Coeli M Hoover

Download or read book Field Measurements for Forest Carbon Monitoring written by Coeli M Hoover and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-10-20 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the summer of 2003, a workshop was held in Portsmouth, NH, to discuss land measurement techniques for the North American Carbon Program. Over 40 sci- tists representing government agencies, academia and nonprofit research organi- tions located in Canada, the US and Mexico participated. During the course of the workshop a number of topics were discussed, with an emphasis on the following: • The need for an intermediate tier of carbon measurements. This level of study would be more extensive than state-level inventories of the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, but less detailed than intensive ecos- tem studies sites such as those in Long Term Ecological Research network. This tier would ideally provide a basis to link and scale remote sensing measurements and inventory data, and supply data required to parameterize existing models (see Wofsy and Harriss 2002, Denning et al. 2005). • The design criteria that such a network of sites should meet. The network and s- pling design should be standardized, but flexible enough to be applied across North America. The design also needs to be efficient enough to be implemented without the need for large field crews, yet robust enough to provide useful information. Finally, the spatial scale must permit easy linkage to remotely sensed data. • The key variables that should be measured at each site, and the frequency of measurement.


Managing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases

Managing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases

Author: Mark Liebig

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2012-10-16

Total Pages: 572

ISBN-13: 012386898X

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Global climate change is a natural process that currently appears to be strongly influenced by human activities, which increase atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG). Agriculture contributes about 20% of the world’s global radiation forcing from carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, and produces 50% of the methane and 70% of the nitrous oxide of the human-induced emission. Managing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases synthesizes the wealth of information generated from the GRACEnet (Greenhouse gas Reduction through Agricultural Carbon Enhancement network) effort with contributors from a variety of backgrounds, and reports findings with important international applications. Frames responses to challenges associated with climate change within the geographical domain of the U.S., while providing a useful model for researchers in the many parts of the world that possess similar ecoregions Covers not only soil C dynamics but also nitrous oxide and methane flux, filling a void in the existing literature Educates scientists and technical service providers conducting greenhouse gas research, industry, and regulators in their agricultural research by addressing the issues of GHG emissions and ways to reduce these emissions Synthesizes the data from top experts in the world into clear recommendations and expectations for improvements in the agricultural management of global warming potential as an aggregate of GHG emissions


Book Synopsis Managing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases by : Mark Liebig

Download or read book Managing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases written by Mark Liebig and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2012-10-16 with total page 572 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global climate change is a natural process that currently appears to be strongly influenced by human activities, which increase atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG). Agriculture contributes about 20% of the world’s global radiation forcing from carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, and produces 50% of the methane and 70% of the nitrous oxide of the human-induced emission. Managing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases synthesizes the wealth of information generated from the GRACEnet (Greenhouse gas Reduction through Agricultural Carbon Enhancement network) effort with contributors from a variety of backgrounds, and reports findings with important international applications. Frames responses to challenges associated with climate change within the geographical domain of the U.S., while providing a useful model for researchers in the many parts of the world that possess similar ecoregions Covers not only soil C dynamics but also nitrous oxide and methane flux, filling a void in the existing literature Educates scientists and technical service providers conducting greenhouse gas research, industry, and regulators in their agricultural research by addressing the issues of GHG emissions and ways to reduce these emissions Synthesizes the data from top experts in the world into clear recommendations and expectations for improvements in the agricultural management of global warming potential as an aggregate of GHG emissions


Methods for Measuring Greenhouse Gas Balances and Evaluating Mitigation Options in Smallholder Agriculture

Methods for Measuring Greenhouse Gas Balances and Evaluating Mitigation Options in Smallholder Agriculture

Author: Todd S. Rosenstock

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-08-23

Total Pages: 203

ISBN-13: 3319297945

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​​This book provides standards and guidelines for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions and removals in smallholder agricultural systems and comparing options for climate change mitigation based on emission reductions and livelihood trade-offs. Globally, agriculture is directly responsible for about 11% of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and induces an additional 17% through land use change, mostly in developing countries. Farms in the developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are predominately managed by smallholders, with 80% of land holdings smaller than ten hectares. However, little to no information exists on greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation potentials in smallholder agriculture. Greenhouse gas measurements in agriculture are expensive, time consuming, and error prone, challenges only exacerbated by the heterogeneity of smallholder systems and landscapes. Concerns over methodological rigor, measurement costs, and the diversity of approaches, coupled with the demand for robust information suggest it is germane for the scientific community to establish standards of measurements for quantifying GHG emissions from smallholder agriculture. Standard guidelines for use by scientists, development organizations will help generate reliable data on emissions baselines and allow rigorous comparisons of mitigation options. The guidelines described in this book, developed by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) and partners, are intended to inform anyone conducting field measurements of agricultural greenhouse gas sources and sinks, especially to develop IPCC Tier 2 emission factors or to compare mitigation options in smallholder systems.


Book Synopsis Methods for Measuring Greenhouse Gas Balances and Evaluating Mitigation Options in Smallholder Agriculture by : Todd S. Rosenstock

Download or read book Methods for Measuring Greenhouse Gas Balances and Evaluating Mitigation Options in Smallholder Agriculture written by Todd S. Rosenstock and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-08-23 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ​​This book provides standards and guidelines for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions and removals in smallholder agricultural systems and comparing options for climate change mitigation based on emission reductions and livelihood trade-offs. Globally, agriculture is directly responsible for about 11% of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and induces an additional 17% through land use change, mostly in developing countries. Farms in the developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are predominately managed by smallholders, with 80% of land holdings smaller than ten hectares. However, little to no information exists on greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation potentials in smallholder agriculture. Greenhouse gas measurements in agriculture are expensive, time consuming, and error prone, challenges only exacerbated by the heterogeneity of smallholder systems and landscapes. Concerns over methodological rigor, measurement costs, and the diversity of approaches, coupled with the demand for robust information suggest it is germane for the scientific community to establish standards of measurements for quantifying GHG emissions from smallholder agriculture. Standard guidelines for use by scientists, development organizations will help generate reliable data on emissions baselines and allow rigorous comparisons of mitigation options. The guidelines described in this book, developed by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) and partners, are intended to inform anyone conducting field measurements of agricultural greenhouse gas sources and sinks, especially to develop IPCC Tier 2 emission factors or to compare mitigation options in smallholder systems.


Measurement Guidelines for the Sequestration of Forest Carbon

Measurement Guidelines for the Sequestration of Forest Carbon

Author: Timothy R. H. Pearson

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 42

ISBN-13:

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Measurement guidelines for forest carbon sequestration were developed to support reporting by public and private entities to greenhouse gas registries. These guidelines are intended to be a reference for designing a forest carbon inventory and monitoring system by professionals with a knowledge of sampling, statistical estimation, and forest measurements. This report provides guidance on defining boundaries; measuring, monitoring, and estimating changes in carbon stocks; implementing plans to measure and monitor carbon; and developing quality assurance and quality control plans to ensure credible and reproducible estimates of the carbon credits. Expected users include entities, e.g., individual landowners, industrial forestry companies and managers of utility company lands, within the United States who are interested in implementing forestry activities and projects designed to generate carbon credits that could be traded as an offset, or for registering carbon dioxide reductions using the U.S. Department of Energy 1605(b) voluntary reporting registry.


Book Synopsis Measurement Guidelines for the Sequestration of Forest Carbon by : Timothy R. H. Pearson

Download or read book Measurement Guidelines for the Sequestration of Forest Carbon written by Timothy R. H. Pearson and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Measurement guidelines for forest carbon sequestration were developed to support reporting by public and private entities to greenhouse gas registries. These guidelines are intended to be a reference for designing a forest carbon inventory and monitoring system by professionals with a knowledge of sampling, statistical estimation, and forest measurements. This report provides guidance on defining boundaries; measuring, monitoring, and estimating changes in carbon stocks; implementing plans to measure and monitor carbon; and developing quality assurance and quality control plans to ensure credible and reproducible estimates of the carbon credits. Expected users include entities, e.g., individual landowners, industrial forestry companies and managers of utility company lands, within the United States who are interested in implementing forestry activities and projects designed to generate carbon credits that could be traded as an offset, or for registering carbon dioxide reductions using the U.S. Department of Energy 1605(b) voluntary reporting registry.


A protocol for measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of soil organic carbon in agricultural landscapes

A protocol for measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of soil organic carbon in agricultural landscapes

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 2020-10-01

Total Pages: 140

ISBN-13: 925133126X

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This document provides a conceptual framework and standard methodologies for the monitoring, reporting and verification of changes in SOC stocks and GHG emissions/removals from agricultural projects that adopt sustainable soil management practices (SSM) at farm level. It is intended to be applied in different agricultural lands, including annual and perennial crops (food, fibre, forage and bioenergy crops), paddy rice, grazing lands with livestock including pastures, grasslands, rangelands, shrublands, silvopasture and agroforestry. Although developed for projects carried out at farm level, potential users include investors, research institutions, government agencies, consultants, agricultural companies, NGOs, individual farmers or farmer associations, supply chain and other users who are interested in measuring and estimating SOC stocks and changes and GHG emissions in response to management practices. The document is an outcome of the successful Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon (GSOC17), which was held in Rome in March 2017. The document is of technical nature in support of the Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration work. Its use is not mandatory but of voluntary nature.


Book Synopsis A protocol for measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of soil organic carbon in agricultural landscapes by : Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Download or read book A protocol for measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of soil organic carbon in agricultural landscapes written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2020-10-01 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This document provides a conceptual framework and standard methodologies for the monitoring, reporting and verification of changes in SOC stocks and GHG emissions/removals from agricultural projects that adopt sustainable soil management practices (SSM) at farm level. It is intended to be applied in different agricultural lands, including annual and perennial crops (food, fibre, forage and bioenergy crops), paddy rice, grazing lands with livestock including pastures, grasslands, rangelands, shrublands, silvopasture and agroforestry. Although developed for projects carried out at farm level, potential users include investors, research institutions, government agencies, consultants, agricultural companies, NGOs, individual farmers or farmer associations, supply chain and other users who are interested in measuring and estimating SOC stocks and changes and GHG emissions in response to management practices. The document is an outcome of the successful Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon (GSOC17), which was held in Rome in March 2017. The document is of technical nature in support of the Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration work. Its use is not mandatory but of voluntary nature.


Verifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Verifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2010-07-28

Total Pages: 124

ISBN-13: 0309152119

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The world's nations are moving toward agreements that will bind us together in an effort to limit future greenhouse gas emissions. With such agreements will come the need for all nations to make accurate estimates of greenhouse gas emissions and to monitor changes over time. In this context, the present book focuses on the greenhouse gases that result from human activities, have long lifetimes in the atmosphere and thus will change global climate for decades to millennia or more, and are currently included in international agreements. The book devotes considerably more space to CO2 than to the other gases because CO2 is the largest single contributor to global climate change and is thus the focus of many mitigation efforts. Only data in the public domain were considered because public access and transparency are necessary to build trust in a climate treaty. The book concludes that each country could estimate fossil-fuel CO2 emissions accurately enough to support monitoring of a climate treaty. However, current methods are not sufficiently accurate to check these self-reported estimates against independent data or to estimate other greenhouse gas emissions. Strategic investments would, within 5 years, improve reporting of emissions by countries and yield a useful capability for independent verification of greenhouse gas emissions reported by countries.


Book Synopsis Verifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions by : National Research Council

Download or read book Verifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-07-28 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world's nations are moving toward agreements that will bind us together in an effort to limit future greenhouse gas emissions. With such agreements will come the need for all nations to make accurate estimates of greenhouse gas emissions and to monitor changes over time. In this context, the present book focuses on the greenhouse gases that result from human activities, have long lifetimes in the atmosphere and thus will change global climate for decades to millennia or more, and are currently included in international agreements. The book devotes considerably more space to CO2 than to the other gases because CO2 is the largest single contributor to global climate change and is thus the focus of many mitigation efforts. Only data in the public domain were considered because public access and transparency are necessary to build trust in a climate treaty. The book concludes that each country could estimate fossil-fuel CO2 emissions accurately enough to support monitoring of a climate treaty. However, current methods are not sufficiently accurate to check these self-reported estimates against independent data or to estimate other greenhouse gas emissions. Strategic investments would, within 5 years, improve reporting of emissions by countries and yield a useful capability for independent verification of greenhouse gas emissions reported by countries.


Carbon Inventory Methods

Carbon Inventory Methods

Author: N.H. Ravindranath

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2007-12-03

Total Pages: 315

ISBN-13: 1402065477

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Carbon Inventory Methods Handbook fills the need for a handbook that provides guidelines and methods required for carbon inventory. It provides detailed step-by-step information on sampling procedures, field and laboratory measurements, application of remote sensing and GIS techniques, modeling, and calculation procedures along with sources of data for carbon inventory. The book is driven by a growing need for ‘carbon inventory’ for land use sections such as forests.


Book Synopsis Carbon Inventory Methods by : N.H. Ravindranath

Download or read book Carbon Inventory Methods written by N.H. Ravindranath and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-12-03 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Carbon Inventory Methods Handbook fills the need for a handbook that provides guidelines and methods required for carbon inventory. It provides detailed step-by-step information on sampling procedures, field and laboratory measurements, application of remote sensing and GIS techniques, modeling, and calculation procedures along with sources of data for carbon inventory. The book is driven by a growing need for ‘carbon inventory’ for land use sections such as forests.


Cap and Trade: The Kyoto Protocol, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Carbon Tax, Emission Allowances, Acid Rain SO2 Program, Ozone Transport Commission, NOX, Carbon Markets, and Climate Change

Cap and Trade: The Kyoto Protocol, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Carbon Tax, Emission Allowances, Acid Rain SO2 Program, Ozone Transport Commission, NOX, Carbon Markets, and Climate Change

Author: Jonathan L. Ramseur

Publisher: The Capitol Net Inc

Published:

Total Pages: 567

ISBN-13: 1587332124

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Book Synopsis Cap and Trade: The Kyoto Protocol, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Carbon Tax, Emission Allowances, Acid Rain SO2 Program, Ozone Transport Commission, NOX, Carbon Markets, and Climate Change by : Jonathan L. Ramseur

Download or read book Cap and Trade: The Kyoto Protocol, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Carbon Tax, Emission Allowances, Acid Rain SO2 Program, Ozone Transport Commission, NOX, Carbon Markets, and Climate Change written by Jonathan L. Ramseur and published by The Capitol Net Inc. This book was released on with total page 567 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: