Coalition on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases

Ag Offset Protocols & Methodologies in Voluntary and Mandatory Carbon Markets

Agricultural offset protocols and methodologies have been approved and are in use or available for use in several GHG emissions trading systems, including the US-based Global Warming Solutions Act (AB-32) in California, and internationally, in Alberta, Canada; Australia (where The Carbon Farming Initiative allow farmers to sell carbon offset credits to the country’s biggest emitters of GHG) and the Kyoto Protocol under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC). Additional US regional GHG emissions trading systems, including the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) do not at this time include agricultural offset protocols.

Several voluntary GHG registries operate in the US, in North America, and/or globally, as well, and many of these registries have developed and approved agricultural offset protocols and methodologies, including some that are in various stages of development and approval. Voluntary registries which have approved agricultural offset protocols and methodologies for use include the American Carbon Registry (ACR), the Climate Action Reserve (CAR), and Verified Carbon Services (VCS). Another North American voluntary GHG registry, The Climate Registry (CR), tracks member company GHG emissions or carbon footprints, but does not currently have verification standards for offsets, though it “may” allow offsets to be reported by member companies.

The subpages to the right offer a synopsis of available agricultural offset protocols or methodologies that have been approved or accredited for use in existing emissions trading systems, as well as those under development or being considered for development. Where appropriate, links to specific emission trading systems, programs, registries, protocols and methodologies are included.