Carbon Offset Potential

The potential of an activity to offset carbon emissions is related to the change in carbon stocks/ emission compared to the baseline scenario. The carbon offset potential is determined by the annual change in stocks/emissions and the length of time the activity is maintained.

The technical specification states the total offset potential of the activities under the specified management regime. The information that should be presented will vary according to the type of activity:

Sequestration

• annual change in carbon stocks
• long term average change in carbon stocks

Conservation

• annual reduction in carbon emissions
• total expected reduction in emissions

Substitution

• annual reduction in carbon emissions
• total expected reduction in emissions

The calculation of carbon offset potential of forestry and land use systems will require data relating to the flow of carbon through the various components of the ecosystem. Measuring carbon uptake in forestry systems gives guidance on how to measure the carbon stocks and carbon flows in land use systems. A simple carbon model is also available which demonstrates how carbon offset potential may be calculated for afforestation activities.

The calculation of changes in carbon stocks should always be conservative and must take account of data quality. The fewer supporting data presented and the lower the data quality the more conservative the estimates must be.