Renoster

Renoster is aware of and saddened by the allegations highlighted in the recent Washington Post article regarding the manipulation of Brazilian carbon projects. These serious claims involve issues of improper land tenure arrangements and insufficient community consent. Given our commitment to deep transparency and rigorous science, we are actively conducting a thorough update of the implicated projects we have reviewed so that they meet the highest standards for accuracy and ethics. Our commitment extends beyond quantitative assessments of climate impact. We take seriously the principle of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and support community rights. As we collaborate with FUNAI and indigenous rights groups, we are dedicated to refining our methods to properly advocate for responsible forest carbon management activities. Read more in our full statement: https://lnkd.in/gZ4F5xPd

🌲🕰️ What is Old-Growth? Explore the nuance and complexity of old-growth forests in our latest blog. These forests are more than just the ancient, towering trees that may first come to mind. They represent a nexus of economic value, cultural heritage, ecological diversity, and environmental protection. Understanding and managing old-growth forests requires an integrated, ecosystem-based approach that respects local traditional values while aligning with conservation goals. As we face global climate challenges, preserving old-growth forests is an integral part of maintaining the health of our planet and the well-being of its inhabitants. 📌 Take a moment to read → https://lnkd.in/ghpg8iAj #OldGrowthForests #Biodiversity #Conservation #ClimateChange #ForestManagement #Sustainability

🌲 Take a few moments to read about upcoming events, new public project releases, company highlights, & more in our latest newsflash! ⤵️

The recent Guardian article spotlighting flaws in certain forest carbon offsets by Finite Carbon has fairly stirred attention. As the offsets ratings agency commissioned to review these projects, we have a responsibility to ensure the integrity of carbon credits available in the market. https://lnkd.in/dz8Tq-Fn We highlighted issues with the projects in question, particularly the Sealaska project. This project was found to have been manipulated severely (via gerrymandering), a fact that not only undermines the credibility of the offsets but also violates the ethical guidelines that should govern environmental stewardship. Credits from each of these projects were tradable on the California Air Resource Board compliance market, and may have directly enabled more emissions under CA law. However, it's important to understand the broader context in which these findings sit. While three Finite Carbon projects were reviewed and highlighted, they do not represent the entirety of Finite Carbon's portfolio. These projects were selected by the commissioning reporter likely because of their issues — rather than at random. It's worth noting that a broader statistical review of CARB's projects (used by Finite Carbon) by CarbonPlan suggests an over issuance closer to 29.4%, not 79% as reported from the cherry-picked reviews. This discrepancy points to a need for broader and more comprehensive reviews to accurately assess the quality of carbon credits across the market. My own opinion is that Finite Carbon's projects are on average a much higher quality than those highlighted in this article. Nevertheless, our analysis calls for a much higher level of rigor and responsibility in the carbon market. The type of manipulation observed in the Sealaska project required considerable effort, as the +5000 polygons representing the project boundary were in some cases drawn around individual trees or on tiny islands. Responsible forest managers should have known that many of these trees were not at risk of commercial harvest. It is imperative for the developer and registry to cease the sale of credits from such projects once flaws are publicly identified. These project's boundaries, additionality, and baselines should be reconsidered. Anyone can commission us to assess a carbon project, and our findings are made public after nine months, contributing to a more transparent and reliable carbon market. While we stand by our findings and the statements that we made in the Guardian article, it is essential to approach the issue of carbon offsetting with a nuanced understanding. The challenges highlighted by this situation should serve as a catalyst for improvement in the industry, pushing for better standards and stricter oversight to make sure carbon credits genuinely contribute to combating climate change.

We're proud to announce our collaboration with CarbonPool on a new white paper: "Buffer pools: Why the carbon market needs a new approach to permanence and how insurance can help." This paper explores the limitations of registry buffer pools in securing long-term carbon credit permanence and presents insurance as a viable alternative to ensure carbon credits remain effective for over 100 years. For those dedicated to creating a reliable carbon market capable of achieving global climate goals, this white paper and the associated webinar are musts. 📃 Download the white paper here → https://lnkd.in/gydnDMWn 🎬 Register for the webinar here → https://lnkd.in/gjj-6trS #CarbonMarkets #BufferPools #CarbonInsurance #ClimateAction

If you're involved with carbon verification or forest science, or simply curious about LiDAR technology, check out these insights from our Remote Sensing Scientist, John Kilbride. Discover how LiDAR provides precise measurements of carbon stocks along with some useful resources and methods. Follow the links below to learn more about this technology. ⤵ #LiDAR #Forestry #CarbonMapping #RemoteSensing

🌲 What exactly is dynamic baselining and how can it bring more transparency to forest carbon projects? Join us on August 1 at 11 am EST for a webinar that will explore how dynamic baselining can enhance the accuracy and reliability of forest carbon credit assessments and the challenges and opportunities that come with this approach. This is a high-value event for anyone interested in learning about dynamic baselining and will be particularly insightful for researchers, environmental scientists, carbon credit analysts, forest management professionals, and policy makers interested in advanced carbon credit methodologies. 🥁 "Dynamic Baselining in Forest Carbon Credits" will feature industry experts: ‣ Christine Cadigan, American Forest Foundation ‣ Carlos E. Silva, Pachama ‣ Elias Ayrey (PhD), Renoster Moderated by Nan Pond from Rubicon Carbon, the discussion will dig into scientific foundations and real-world applications of dynamic baselining, and the impact this approach can have on the future of forest carbon credits. We hope to see you there! 📌 Register here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ggnbGGmz #forestcarbon #dynamicbaselining #carboncredits

Not all heroes wear capes. Mangroves play a vital role in coastal protection, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration, making them ideal for carbon credit projects. Unlike other reforestation efforts, mangrove restoration is driven by ecosystem needs, ensuring genuine additionality and minimal leakage. Their unique ability to expand naturally coupled with their conservative carbon credit calculations add to their appeal. Beyond carbon, mangroves also support marine biodiversity and local economies by boosting fisheries. One of the best projects we've rated, Delta Blue Carbon in Pakistan (VCS2250), is an excellent example of the immense impact mangrove restoration can have on our planet. 🌀 Read more about mangroves here: https://lnkd.in/gaVuXtzX #ClimateChange #CarbonCredits #Mangroves #Sustainability #Biodiversity

🔍 🌲 Project Spotlight: Rio Jacareacanga (ER130) Located on the southwestern border of Pará, Brazil, the Rio Jacareacanga project spans 320,940 hectares of native forest within the lands of the Munduruku people. This project aims to prevent unplanned deforestation and combat the pervasive issue of illicit gold mining, which has significantly impacted the community and the environment over the past two decades. 📊 The project's conservative baseline aligns closely with Renoster's dynamic baselines, which incorporate data from Global Forest Watch. This conservative approach helps ensure that the project's impact on forest preservation is realistically gauged and reported. However, a notable concern is the absence of independent measurements for carbon stocks. The reliance on regional averages, while substantiated by Brazil's Forest Reference Emission Level submissions, lacks the robustness of independent verification—this has resulted in potential deviations in reported carbon savings. 🌱 Despite these challenges, the Rio Jacareacanga project has successfully limited deforestation within its territory, with only about 0.4% of the area affected since its inception. Additionally, the project outlines numerous co-benefits, including detailed plans for community development and environmental restoration. ⚠️ The project is critically positioned to address the dire consequences of illegal mining operations, which have not only devastated the forest but also led to widespread mercury contamination in local water sources. This contamination has resulted in severe health crises within the Munduruku community, with over 120 individuals suffering from mercury poisoning. In the absence of effective governmental intervention, the project's efforts and funding are pivotal in mitigating these ongoing threats. ✅ The Renoster score is a data-driven quantification of how much carbon per credit the project has actually sequestered. The ideal score is 1 tCO2e per credit. The Rio Jacareacanga project achieves a commendable score of 0.96, indicating that nearly every credit issued corresponds to a reduction of 0.96 tons of carbon dioxide, underscoring the project's effectiveness in combating deforestation and supporting community resilience. For a detailed breakdown of our assessment and the overall Renoster score, visit our in-depth analysis on the Mercury Rubric: https://lnkd.in/gHAGxn6j #DeepTransparency #RenosterReview #RioJacareacanga #Conservation #SustainableDevelopment #ClimateAction

🌎 🔥 How vulnerable are forest carbon projects to wildfires? Our latest blog by Geo-spatial Data Scientist, Akshata Karnik, explores how fire risk affects carbon projects around the world. We analyzed the distribution of both Avoided Deforestation (AD) and Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects by fire risk category, revealing that 30% of projects fall in high fire risk areas. We also assessed the total area at risk by ecosystem type, finding that tropical projects face the highest fire risk, while boreal projects are the least affected. Additionally, we evaluated the distribution of projects across fire risk categories by country. This analysis highlights the importance of improving wildfire risk management and adaptation strategies. With wildfires becoming more frequent, intense, and widespread, projects must incorporate robust fire prevention and response measures to ensure their efficacy and permanence. Handling these challenges is vital for maintaining the credibility and impact of forest carbon projects in the global effort to combat climate change. 📌 Read more about our findings on fire risk here: https://lnkd.in/gEpMpN3F #CarbonOffsets #WildfireRisk #ClimateChange #ForestManagement #Sustainability