Summary
This commentary addresses the scientific debate surrounding carbon farming's role in climate change mitigation, specifically challenging the assertion that non-permanent carbon sinks lack climate value. Leifeld argues that the beneficial effect of short-lived carbon sinks is real and quantifiable, and proposes that ex ante biophysical discounting provides a methodological framework to improve the reliability of carbon farming certification and voluntary carbon market instruments.
UK applicability
The framework and principles discussed are applicable to UK agricultural and forestry carbon schemes, particularly in the context of developing standards for woodland creation and soil carbon sequestration under emerging UK carbon markets and nature-based solutions policy.
Key measures
Climate benefit quantification methodology; permanence of terrestrial carbon sinks; ex ante biophysical discounting approaches
Outcomes reported
The paper evaluates the quantifiable climate benefit of short-lived carbon sinks in agricultural and forestry systems, and discusses the application of ex ante biophysical discounting to improve the credibility of carbon farming as a climate mitigation strategy.
Topic tags
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