Forest Conference: Which role does FSC have to play in carbon emissions mitigation?
FSC General Assembly 2008: The exact future role of FSC certification in relation to carbon projects involving forests needs more thorough exploration; however, it seems evident that FSC should play a key part.
As the recognition of the important role played by forests in carbon sequestration grows, numerous forestry based carbon projects are emerging on the market, and the need for securing the social and environmental quality of these projects is becoming urgent.
The Forest Conference discussions did not provide any quick and easy guidance, however it seems clear that FSC can deliver at least a part of the solution.
The role of FSC in forest carbon projects
According to Professor Martin Walter from Fachhochschule Weihenstephan, FSC certification is already relevant in the context of carbon forestry projects:
“FSC is already covering a part of these projects since FSC delivers social and environmental performance at the implementation level and also provides means of verification. However, so far we do not have carbon project design standards which can be complemented by the FSC standards”. Walter recommends FSC to cooperate with others in this field like Voluntary Carbon Standard or CDM, given the complexity of the field and the fact that FSC has not yet been involved in carbon accounting.
How can fsc standards deliver carbon benefits?
On the first day of the Forest Conference, Jim Ford, Director of Climate for Ideas.org, highlighted the need to determine how FSC standards can currently deliver carbon related benefits, and recommended to analyse what changes could increase the benefits. Ford also stressed the need for regulating the carbon market and warned against creating a subprime market for carbon, and recommended a system involving conflict-of-interest-free, transparent, national carbon accounting.
Size of the carbon market
Deborah Spalding from Working Lands Investment Partners stressed that carbon emissions mitigation is already a billion dollar business and no longer considered an emerging market. To a financial investor, carbon projects are today considered an investment object equal to any other investments.
Defining the role of FSC
It seems clearly justified to include FSC certification in forestry carbon projects. The question remains whether FSC certification should primarily be seen as a social and environmental baseline standard, or to which extent FSC certification in itself can and does impact carbon stocks as such. Motion 43 submitted to the General Assembly proposes to explore the options.
