Methodology
On October 24, 2023, China announced the latest "Methodology for Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Projects - Mangrove Cultivation (CCER-14-002-V01)", which is internationally followed by AR-AM0014 3 under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).Version 0 of the afforestation and reforestation of degraded mangrove habitats. The applicable conditions and the selection of carbon pools in project scenarios are slightly different. The CCER methodology has more comprehensive requirements for land tenure, planting area, and project activities, and the CDM methodology focuses on limiting the disturbance of project activities to regional hydrology and soil.
Comparison of CCER and CDM mangrove methodologies.
*A 10% buffer credit is required for VCS projects that use the CDM methodology for emission reduction accounting
In general, the baseline removal and leakage of mangrove carbon sequestration projects are both 0. In the actual development process, the removals of the project during the monitoring period are mainly calculated, and if the CDM also takes into account the changes in soil organic carbon, the calculation is as follows:
Project removals = changes in biomass carbon stocks + changes in soil carbon stocks - greenhouse gas emissions
Among them, biomass carbon storage includes two parts, aboveground and underground, which are usually calculated by the biomass equation of different tree species, and soil organic carbon is calculated according to the linear equation of annual change of carbon stock, and the greenhouse gas emission is the sum of CH4 and N2O emissions.
Reference items
The new CCER methodology is different from other mechanism methodologies, but the core part is still similar, and after the launch of CCER in China, the development of some projects can still learn from the previous VCS projects.
According to the official website of VCS, there are currently 3 mangrove VCS projects successfully issued in China, namely:
Successful mangrove VCS project issued in China.
Among them, the Zhanjiang Mangrove Afforestation Project is the world's first carbon sink project that meets both the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) standard.
Project Brief Introduction
A total of 380 mangrove afforestation projects in Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province40 hectares, through the planting of four native mangrove tree species, namely autumn eggplant, tung flower, white bone soil and red sea olive, in the Affiliated Town of Leizhou City, Zhanjiang City and Taiping Town, Mazhang District, to restore and protect the mangrove habitat. The project is developed under "Agroforestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU)" in VCS and is a single-type project for afforestation, reforestation and revegetation restoration (ARR) using the international CDM methodology.
In 2021, it passed the review of Verra, the organization for the development and management of certified carbon standards, and successfully registered as the first mangrove carbon sink project in China that meets the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and the Climate Community Biodiversity Standard (CCB), and is also the first blue carbon carbon sink trading project successfully developed in China. It is not only a pathfinder for China's carbon neutrality process, but also an important practice for the in-depth implementation of the country's establishment and improvement of the value realization mechanism of ecological products.
The main body of the project
The "Guangdong Zhanjiang Mangrove Afforestation Project" was jointly initiated by the Third Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Qingdao, Shandong Province, the Administration of Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve in Guangdong Province and the Beijing Entrepreneur Environmental Protection Association.
Project development nodes
The project was launched in 2019 and completed on June 8, 2021 by the VCS development and management organization, followed by the signing of a carbon emission reduction transfer agreement with the Beijing Entrepreneur Environmental Protection Association and the purchase of emission reductions.
Carbon sequestration of the project
From 2015 to 2020, the carbon sequestration was 5,880 tons, and the total carbon sequestration is expected to reach 160,000 tons from 2015 to 2055, with an average annual carbon reduction of 4,000 tons.
Economic benefits of the project
The purchase price of the first 5,880 tons of carbon dioxide emission reduction was 66 yuan tons, and at the same time, it will raise more than 780 yuan from the society.
The value of the project
The Zhanjiang Mangrove Afforestation Project has increased forest coverage, improved the quality and quantity of vegetation, improved the water and soil environment in the project area, and protected biodiversity by restoring degraded mangrove ecosystems. It not only creates employment opportunities and protects people's livelihood, but also provides a model for alleviating people's livelihood and ecological protection. The successful development of the project will turn the mangrove ecosystem into an attractive landscape, promote the development of regional tourism economy, and provide a model for the carbon sink and ecological value marketization of mangrove restoration projects in China, which is of positive significance for attracting social funds to invest in mangrove projects, promoting blue carbon trading, and helping carbon neutrality.
For more information on carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, please pay attention to: Linhuan Carbon
Mangroves