Linking BC’s carbon market with the world

Adapting the BC Forest Carbon Offset Protocol (FCOP) for use under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) methodology, VM 0034.

Over the past three years Brinkman Climate’s Robert Seaton has worked with British Columbia’s Climate Action Secretariat to adapt and rewrite BC’s Forest Carbon Offset Protocol (FCOP) carbon standard so that it is compliant with the Verified Carbon Standard, a common standard used internationally in the voluntary carbon market. FCOP is a jurisdictionally specific sectoral methodology covering the full range of Improved Forest Management, Afforestation/Reforestation and REDD+ projects within British Columbia, and is now the first VCS methodology to cover all of the main forest carbon modalities.

This process was undertaken collaboratively with British Columbia’s Climate Action Secretariat and the Pacific Carbon Trust. The first assessor was SCS Global Services of Emeryville, CA and second assessor was Environmental Services Inc. of Jacksonville, FL. The process focussed on alignment of VCS and British Columbia regulatory requirements, and serves as an example of how regulated and voluntary programs can collaborate to develop rigorous GHG accounting to meet national INDC goals.

BC’s FCOP can now be recognized internationally and credits created using this standard can be traded more widely. This carbon methodology can now also be more easily adopted by other jurisdictions, which will accelerate the flow of investment into forest health made possible by valuing living forests and stored carbon.

“This protocol focuses on enhancing sequestration of carbon dioxide by forests, reducing carbon dioxide emissions from forests and forestry operations and maintaining or increasing stores of carbon in forest and wood product carbon pools. Depending on project-specific circumstances, comparatively small changes (either increases or decreases) in the emission of methane and nitrous oxide may also be realized by eligible projects. Real GHG emission reductions and removal enhancements and increased forest carbon sequestration and maintenance relative to appropriately selected baseline scenarios will be achieved by undertaking the various eligible project activities. Applicable project types include Reduced Impact Logging (RIL), Logged to Protected Forests (LtPF), Extended Rotation Age/Cutting Cycle (ERA), Low Productive to High Productive Forests (LtHP) and Avoiding Planned Deforestation (APD). “