The American Carbon Registry (ACR): REDD Methodology Modules

The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a non-profit enterprise of Winrock International, announces the posting of REDD Methodology Modules for public comment by ACR members, project proponents and other interested stakeholders. All ACR methodologies, whether developed by Winrock International or brought to ACR by external parties, are subject to public consultation and a rigorous independent scientific peer review process prior to approval for use on ACR.

Please send all comments by close of business April 1, 2011 to publiccomment@americancarbonregistry.org referencing the REDD methodology modules.

Background

The Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) modules were developed by Winrock International with assistance from Climate Focus, Carbon Decisions International, Silvestrum, and TerraCarbon LLC. The REDD modules effort is led by Avoided Deforestation Partners.

The modules are applicable to projects reducing emissions from planned deforestation, unplanned deforestation, and degradation through removal of fuelwood. The modular approach is an effort to streamline methodology development: rather than developing unique methodologies on a project-by-project basis, each aspect of the project from baseline setting to measurement, monitoring and leakage is treated in a discrete and independent module. Individual modules that are applicable to a specific project’s circumstances can then be selected to create an overall methodology for the project.

Structure

A framework module, REDD-MF, establishes the overall functionality of the methodology, indicates which modules are mandatory and optional, and contains the final calculation of Emission Reduction Tonnes (ERTs). REDD-MF constitutes, together with the modules and tools it calls upon, a complete REDD methodology applicable to projects reducing emissions from planned deforestation, unplanned deforestation, and degradation through removal of fuelwood.

Included underneath REDD-MF are:

1)    Three baseline modules:

·      BL-PL “Estimation of baseline carbon stock changes and GHG emissions from planned deforestation”

·      BL-UP “Estimation of baseline carbon stock changes and GHG emissions from unplanned deforestation”

·      BL-DFW “Estimation of baseline emission from forest degradation caused by extraction of wood for fuel”

2)    Four leakage modules:

·      LK-ASP “Estimation of emissions from activity shifting for avoided planned deforestation”

·     LK-ASU “Estimation of emissions from activity shifting for avoided unplanned deforestation”

·     LK-ME “Estimation of emissions from market effects”

·     LK-DFW “Estimation of emissions from displacement of fuelwood extraction”

3)    M-MON “Methods for monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and removals”

4)    Two miscellaneous modules:

·      X -STR “Methods for stratification of the project area”

·      X-UNC “Estimation of uncertainty for REDD project activities”

5)    Four tools:

·      T-SIG “Tool for testing significance of GHG emissions in A/R CDM project activities” – latest CDM-EB approved version

·      T-ADD “ACR Tool for Determining the Baseline and Assessing Additionality in REDD Project Activities”

·      T-BAR “Tool for AFOLU non-permanence risk analysis and buffer determination” – latest ACR-approved version

·      CPES “ACR Tool for the Estimation of Stocks in Carbon Pools and Emissions from Emission Sources,” which includes estimation of carbon pools (above- and belowground biomass in live tree and non-tree pools, dead wood, litter, soil organic carbon, and long-term wood products) and of emission sources (biomass burning, fossil fuel combustion, and N₂O emissions from nitrogen application)