WEBLIOGRAPHY on CARBON SEQUESTRATION
prepared for
NORTHEAST PASTURE CONSORTIUM
June 2009
Martha Holdridge
West Wind Farm
“AMAZING CARBON” (AUSTRALIA)
http://www.amazingcarbon.com/
Home page of Dr. Christine Jones, soil scientist, founder of Australian
Soil Carbon Accreditation Scheme, a voluntary carbon trading system. It
includes references to many articles on soil carbon, including:
http://www.amazingcarbon.com/PDF/FAO_Communique_soilcarbon%20(Oct08).pdf
Combined policy statement by UN/FAO, the Conservation Technology Center, and Conservation Agriculture Carbon Offset Consultation
http://www.amazingcarbon.com/PDF/JONES-OurSoilsOurFuture(8July08).pdf
article by Dr. Jones on needed changes in management of Australian soils
http://www.amazingcarbon.com/PDF/Jones-EvergreenFarming(Sept07).pdf
article by Dr. Jones on “turning air into soil” by means of
photosynthesis, resynthesis, exhudation, and humification
http://www.amazingcarbon.com/PDF/Farmingaclimatechangesolution_Ecos141.pdf
article about Dr. Christine Jones in ECOS
http://www.amazingcarbon.com/PDF/JONES-CarbonSinks(11Sept08).pdf
Australian Senate committee: Submission by Dr. Jones for inquiry into
possibility of establishing a project based soil carbon offsets scheme
to include both forests and appropriately managed grasslands. By
appropriate she means a perennial pasture base fertilized by
biology-friendly fertilizers and used for both cropping and grazing
enterprises. In this paper she also discusses measuring soil carbon and
recommends testing to the rooting depth.
http://www.amazingcarbon.com/PDF/JONES%20AustSoilCarbonAccScheme(18Jan08).pdf
Submission by Dr. Jones to an Australian/New Zealand commission. Note
p. 7 line 4 concerning the need to use biologically based fertilizers.
Also note p. 7, Box 3.2. concerning critical importance of pasture
management and type of fertilizer used in order to achieve net carbon sequestration.
AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST (AFT)
http://www.farmland.org/
Home page for American Farmland Trust
http://www.farmland.org/programs/environment/workshops/August-2008-public.asp
Workshop on “Agriculture’s Role in Mitigating Climate Change.” Over 40
producers, crop and industry consultants, and leaders from key
agricultural groups from around the country engaged in a workshop
co‑sponsored by Farm Foundation, USDA Economic Research Service (ERS),
and AFT in Washington, DC. Participants were able to recommend 15
priority policy needs to include in developing climate change policy.
The following six briefing papers, commissioned by AFT, and one
presentation cover the most important issues in developing policies for
a carbon offset market:
http://www.farmland.org/programs/environment/workshops/documents/Hohenstein-AFT-ERS-workshop.pdf
Greenhouse Gas Offsets Opportunities for Agriculture and Forestry William Hohenstein, USDA Global Change Program presentation
Offsets vs. Allowances - Marc Ribaudo, USDA Economic Research Service
Briefing Paper / Presentation
http://www.farmland.org/programs/environment/workshops/documents/Additionalitybriefingpaper.pdf
Additionality in Greenhouse Gas Mitigation - Jan Lewandrowski, USDA Global Change Program
Briefing Paper / Presentation
http://www.farmland.org/programs/environment/workshops/documents/Leakagebriefingpaper.pdf
Leakage in Greenhouse Gas Mitigation - Jan Lewandrowski, USDA Global Change Program
Briefing Paper / Presentation
Permanence and Reversal Risk in Agriculture, Land Use Change and Forest Carbon Projects
Brian C. Murray, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Studies, Duke University
Briefing Paper / Presentation
http://www.farmland.org/programs/environment/workshops/documents/TreatmentofEarlyActorsbriefingpaper.pdf
“Treatment of Early Actors,” Lydia Olander, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Studies, Duke University
Briefing Paper / Presentation
http://www.farmland.org/programs/environment/workshops/documents/MonitoringComplianceandEnforcementbriefingpaper.pdf
Monitoring, Compliance and Enforcement - Steven Kraft, Agribusiness Economics, Southern Illinois University and Christopher Lant, Geography and Environmental Resources, Southern Illinois University
Briefing Paper / Presentation
“BEEF” MAGAZINE - “Profiting from Global Warming” by Troy Marshall
http://beefmagazine.com/cowcalfweekly/0926-profit-global-warming/index.html
Cites experience in Australia with carbon offsets and potential for U.S. producers.
CHICAGO CLIMATE EXCHANGE (CCX)
http://www.theccx.com/docs/offsets/Soil_Carbon_Offsets_faq.pdf
Home page for the Chicago Climate Exchange
http://www.theccx.com/content.jsf?id=582
Offset project registration described.
http://www.theccx.com/content.jsf?id=1101
Describes rangeland soil carbon offsets. Contains useful background,
but at present this offset category cannot be applied to Eastern grasslands.
http://www.theccx.com/docs/offsets/CCX_Rulebook_Chapter09_OffsetsAndEarlyActionCredits.pdf#page=142
CCX Rule Book, Rangeland Soil Carbon Management Project - 174 pages
http://www.theccx.com/docs/offsets/Soil_Carbon_Offsets_faq.pdf
Official CCX FAQ that discusses CCX policies and procedures for
establishing Carbon offsets in agricultural soils. Also includes
references from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change that apply to agricultural soils management. Focus is on no-till
cropping. Little or no mention of managed grasslands.
CARBON FARMERS of AMERICA
http://www.carbonfarmersofamerica.com/index.htm
Carbon Farmers of America, LLC was created in 2006 by a group of family
farmers in Vermont and Massachusetts committed to the health of the
Earth and dedicated to rebuilding prosperity in our rural communities.
Carbon Farmers of America (CFA) trains, equips and provides ongoing
consultation and support to member farmers across America to rapidly
create new, high organic-matter topsoil. With our member farmers, we
carefully record the process of soil building on each farm, and
scientifically monitor the carbon levels in their soils each year. All
carbon monitoring is verified by a third party. CFA sells carbon sinks
(1 T. CO2 = one carbon sink) to the public for \$25 of which \$19 goes
to the farmer and \$6 for administration and training.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR - 8/16/07
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0816/p13s01-sten.html
“How Better-fed Cows Could Cool the Planet”
Bettina Gartner
When cows digest, they burp methane gas, a powerful greenhouse agent. Scientists are working to try to reduce that.
EPA
http://www.epa.gov/methane/sources.html
Under Livestock Manure Management: “Manure deposited on fields and
pastures, or otherwise handled in a dry form, produces insignificant
amounts of methane.” Under Livestock Enteric Fermentation: “ruminant
animals (cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels) produce significant
amounts of methane as part of their normal digestive processes.” For
detail see “US Inventory Report” from this URL.
http://www.epa.gov/rlep/index.html
This is the EPA website for the program, Ruminant Livestock Efficiency
Program. Click the “Resources and Tools” link if you want to see the
electronic version of a large EPA poster.
http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usgginventory.html
This is the EPA website for the national greenhouse gas inventory. In
the Executive Summary the Agriculture section is on page ES12 and a
section on sources of N2O (largest source fertilizer applications) and
of NH4 (enteric fermentation, second largest source) is found on page
ES9.
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
http://www.iisd.ca/mea-l/guestarticle65.html
This is a summary article, titled “Climate Change Mitigation: Tapping
the Potential of Agriculture.” It describes a remarkable departure from
previous UN positions, which had not recognized the potential of
agriculture through carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change. It
is based on an FAO submission to the UNFCCC Ad Hoc Working Group on Long
Term Cooperative Action.
http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2008/smsn/igo/036.pdf
This is the complete submission. It is titled: “Enabling Agriculture
to Contribute to Climate Change Mitigation.” Agriculture is recognized
here as a sector with significant mitigation potential. This document
says that farmers, ranchers, herders, and other land users can and
should be part of the solution to climate change. “The focus of this
submission is on soil carbon sequestration in view of its high
mitigation potential, its relevance to small holders, and its current
exclusion from the CDM”
IFAP - International Federation of Agricultural Producers
http://www.ifap.org/en/ClimateChangeFarmersSolutions.htm
This is the Overview of a late-May, 2009, conference held in
Copenhagen, Denmark, in preparation for the December UN
Climate Change Conference. It was sponsored by the IFAP and the Danish
Agricultural Council. On May 27 it issued a declaration, entitled
“Farmers Solutions to Climate Change: Proposals for Including
Agriculture in a Post-Kyoto Agreement.” It discusses policies and
systems to adapt to climate change and also to mitigate climate change.
It notes that there are new and reliable methods for measuring carbon
sequestration in soils. It advocates that agriculture be a part of the
sustainable green revolution that can help to mitigate climate change.
NEW YORK TIMES
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/the-epa-puts-on-the-heat/
Who Should Regulate Green House Gasses? Four opinions plus comments (2/19/09)
VIRGINIA TECH
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/bse/442-138/442-138.pdf
Virginia Landowners Guide to the Carbon Market - Publication 442-138,
2009, 8 pages by Virginia Cooperative Extension. Discusses how to
develop carbon offsets and to earn carbon credits by conservation
tillage, grassland establishment (not management!), and certain forestry
projects. Defines useful terns: aggregator, carbon credit, carbon
offest, carbon reserve pool, carbon sink, third party auditors,
additionality, CCX, and GWP. Lists six aggregators that operate in
Virginia. Does not mention grazing lands or pastures as carbon offsets.
UNITED NATIONS Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/07/food.foodanddrink.
A report of a September 2008 speech by Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, chair of
the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the UN’s FAO in
London. Dr. Pachauri blames meat production, especially cattle, for
nearly 20% of global GHG emissions. He and the FAO do not distinguish
between feedlot production and grass-based production. Dr. Pachauri, a
vegetarian, wants us all to have at least one meat-free day per week. A
rebuttal commentary favors grass-fed meats. Problem is that so far as I know, the author has no official or
other significant position.