Q. What is the purpose of forestry carbon standards?

Q. How will they be used?

Q. Why do we need another standard? How will this relate to the existing ones?

Q. Who is involved in creating these standards?

Q. Who will use these standards?

Q. Why are the U.S. and Canada working together on developing consensus standards?

Q. What is the role of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in this process?

Q. How does this standard contribute to addressing climate change?

Q. What is the U.S. government role/interest in developing or using this standard?

Q. What is the Canadian government role/interest in developing or using this standard?

Q. Are committee meetings and materials public or private?

Q. What is the purpose of forestry carbon standards?
Forestry carbon standards can establish widely-accepted rules for measuring and reporting the amount of carbon contained in forest systems. Technical methods for measuring woody biomass in forests and wood products are well established and published in scientific literature. This effort focuses on establishing the rules by which the annual changes in forest carbon pools will be eligible for consideration when calculating the forest’s effect on the atmosphere.

Q. How will they be used?
The need to consistently and accurately measure forest carbon is increasingly a component of voluntary or mandatory programs designed to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs), primarily carbon dioxide. One policy mechanism available to reduce GHGs is called Cap and Trade, where typically a national, state or regional cap on emissions is set and regulated entities must reduce their emissions over time in relation to a baseline level. Regulated entities will seek the most economically efficient way to achieve required reductions. Sometimes, that can be changes in , efficiency, fuels, or other processes that can result in the needed emissions reductions. At other times, there may be opportunities to purchase emission reductions that are surplus to another company’s needs. A further opportunity may be to purchase emission reductions or carbon sequestration “credits’” achieved by an organization that is not regulated by the program. These are called “offsets.” Forestry standards establish the rules by which forest carbon sequestration can be quantified so that they are recognized as legitimate offsets under the cap and trade system.

Q. Why do we need another standard? How will this relate to the existing ones?
Several standards have been proposed, often linked to a voluntary or regional cap and trade effort. Federal legislation is being considered in both the U.S. and Canada, and it is widely anticipated that federal regulatory cap and trade systems will emerge in the coming years. If that occurs, it will be important to create as much standardization in these programs as possible. Much of the input into the new standards will come from the voluntary and regional efforts that have been developed. The new consensus standards will bring the prior efforts together, seek consensus on the resolution of differences, and provide a broadly-supported basis for emerging federal rules in both countries.

Q. Who is involved in creating these standards?
A broad coalition of forestry organizations, conservation groups, forest products industry, and general interest experts will constitute a Forest Carbon Standards Committee that will develop the standard. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI)and Standards Council of Canada (SCC)-accredited committee process will involve all interests that would be directly and materially affected by the proposed standards. Through this coordination, we seek to achieve recognized status for the standards in both countries. As an official ANSI-accredited standards developer, AF&PA will serve as Secretariat of the committee.

Q. Who will use these standards?
The standards will be utilized by forest landowners and project developers seeking to quantify forest carbon emission reductions and sequestration for recognition in cap and trade (or other GHG reduction) programs. Climate program administrators and traders can rely on these standards as providing valid amounts for offsets or emission allowances, and purchasers can be assured of uniform quality and value.

Q. Why are the U.S. and Canada working together on developing consensus standards?
The forests of North America are very important components of both countries’ potential to address greenhouse gas emissions. With similar forest conditions, similar economies, and similar goals in reducing greenhouse gases, it would be highly advantageous to address this new aspect of forest and climate management with consistent standards. In addition, several Canadian Provinces are participating in Regional GHG reduction compacts with the United States.

Q. What is the role of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in this process?
ANSI facilitates the development of American National Standards (ANSs) through the accreditation of procedures used by standards developers, and by approving standards that are developed through these accredited consensus procedures. ANSI approval is based on evidence of procedural compliance as provided by the standards developer. ANSI does not rule on the technical content; only that the final ANS resulted from compliance with accredited procedures.

Q. How does this standard contribute to addressing climate change?
Broadly accepted consensus standards for forest carbon accounting and reporting will encourage forest landowners, foresters, project developers and others to participate in emerging climate programs. Forest offsets that are developed under standards that provide economic feasibility, operational practicality, and environmental integrity will contribute significantly to national climate programs. Where those offsets can be produced as lower-cost options for emitters, governments can seek cap reductions to lower total emissions while lessening undue economic impacts. The more emissions that can be reduced at economically-achievable costs, the more benefit to the global climate.

Q. What is the U.S. government role/interest in developing or using this standard?
While U.S. agencies are not required to adopt ANSs in their rules, they are charged with considering them. Widely-accepted consensus standards give agencies and program administrators a good basis for rule-making in these new climate change programs.

Q. What is the Canadian government role/interest in developing or using this standard?
Canadian governments also seek to adopt standards that are widely accepted and appropriate to federal and provincial programs.

Q. Are committee meetings and materials public or private?
Meetings of the committee are open to all members and others approved to participate. Individuals and organizations having an interest in the committee’s work may request status as observers, subject to approval by the Secretariat. The committee may also select individual experts to assist it. Observers and individual experts shall be advised of committee activities, may attend meetings, and may submit comments for consideration, but shall have no vote.