Forest Carbon Accounting in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol

Webinar Tuesday Sept 22 at 1 PM UTC / 9 AM Eastern U.S., and 15:00 CET

This webinar will provide a close look at the ongoing debate regarding how to count emissions from wood use and forestry in the standard-setting process of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP).  All panelists are scientists who have participated in the Protocol’s forest carbon deliberations, either as appointed members of a technical working group or as current or past members of the Protocol’s decision-making Board.
 

Under consideration are rules proposed by the forestry industry that would have the effect of making most wood use carbon negative. Under this approach, the more wood harvested, purchased and used by a company for any purpose, the more its emissions decline. In pilot testing, 19 of 20 companies or company units using this approach found themselves to be carbon negative and the other found itself to have net zero emissions. In addition to considering whether to adopt this rule by itself, the GHGP has also agreed to harmonize standards with the Independent Standards Organization (ISO), which adopted a rule with this effect in the spring of 2025.

Also under consideration is a rule supported by independent scientists involved in the process that evaluates the effects of wood harvest and use by the emissions these activities cause. This approach would also credit wood and companies with any additional carbon uptake caused by forest management relative to natural forests. This approach is similar to the models used by the IPCC in its Assessment Reports to evaluate emissions from land use change.  
 

The GHGP establishes the rulebook used by most large companies to evaluate their emissions and is required for company use by law in several jurisdictions. Since 2019, the GHGP has been debating rules for emissions from land-use related activities. In the spring of 2025, it adopted rules for agricultural activities, but its boards have been unable to decide between the industry- and scientist-supported rules for wood products and forestry. At the end of June, the GHGP asked for public comment on the different proposals by February 1, 2027. At the same time, the GHGP has adopted a new structure with heavy corporate representation and an intent to harmonize standards with ISO.  As documented in recent media stories, the Protocol’s treatment of scientific information was controversial and ultimately led to the resignations of a scientist member of the independent standards board and of the technical director for land-related issues at the World Resources Institute, co-owner of the GHGP.

More info and supporting materials:

Event: https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/events/forest-carbon-accounting-in-the-greenhouse-gas-protocol/
 

Register:  

https://upenn.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5bE6Su-6Qc2Dz-OOKc_qVg