What's New List Serve Post Display

Please consider the following ARB press release announcing the
adoption of protocols to address greenhouse gas emissions as
related to forests.  You can as well read the release online at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr102507b.htm .
Thank You
Dimitri Stanich
ARB/PIO


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Release 07-47
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2007
	  	  	
Leo Kay
Stanley Young
(916) 322-2990 
www.arb.ca.gov

Air Resources Board adopts forestry protocols

Provides foundation for using forestlands to measure greenhouse
gas reductions


SACRAMENTO - The Air Resources Board today adopted a set of
accepted methods of measuring the amount of carbon stored in a
forest, making it possible to use forest projects in California
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight global warming.

"Today's action by the board recognizes the important role
California's forestlands will play in storing carbon and
achieving the greenhouse gas reductions required by AB32," said
Mary Nichols, Chairman of the Air Resources Board. "Adopting
these protocols also puts California's forests front and center
within the growing global carbon market. Investment in this
market will lead to forestry management projects that both store
carbon and benefit California's wildlife and watersheds."

The Board also called for ARB staff to work with stakeholders to
fast-track the development of additional types of protocols for
forest projects including industrial forestlands, projects on
public lands (such as state parks) and for urban forestry
programs. This will provide additional methods of measuring
carbon storage that will be consistent with the protocol
standards adopted by the Board.

Adoption of the forestry protocols was one of a suite of 44
Early Actions the Board acted on. These Early Actions are a mix
of regulatory and voluntary greenhouse gas strategies, to be
implemented during the 2007 - 2012 timeframe under AB32,
California's groundbreaking law to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

Under these protocols, California's forests could remove
approximately 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide
equivalents by 2020. California will have to reduce its
greenhouse gas emissions by 174 million metric tons per year to
reach the limits set by AB32.

Forestry is the only sector of the economy that actively removes
greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, a process known as "forest
carbon sequestration." This occurs when trees absorb carbon
dioxide during photosynthesis, storing the carbon as wood.
Forests also give off carbon dioxide, from decomposing leaf
matter on the forest floor for example.

The protocols adopted by the Board today set forth
scientifically rigorous approaches to accurately measure the
amount of net carbon captured in a forest. The protocols were
developed by the California Climate Action Registry over the
past four years through a public process and expert review and
were approved by the Board of Forestry in 2004.

Since the protocols set international criteria and can be
verified by an accredited third-party, pilot projects developed
in Humboldt and Mendocino counties are already being used by
private individuals and companies to offset carbon emissions
produced elsewhere.

For more information, please visit ARB website at
http://www.arb.ca.gov/gmbond




The Air Resources Board is a department of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and
protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and
considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain
health based air quality standards.
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