MAF exposes bad carbon advice to NZ Forest Owners

Press Release: Environmental Intermediaries & Trading Group Limited

MEDIA RELEASE

Carbon Accounting Areas Mistakes Exposes Bad Advice

Carbon Accounting Areas (CAA) are the fundamental building blocks of the New Zealand Emissions Trading System (NZETS) for forest owners. These areas are defined for the purposes of assessing the change in carbon over time.

Once the area is established it cannot be changed unless the owner exits the ETS (and surrenders credits) due to the complexity of the systems.

At recent MAF briefings officials warned against casual selection of CAA. In fact many participants were irate that their ‘consultants’ had misled them in correctly establishing such areas.

To effectively select your CAA you need an understanding of the ETS and its nuances plus a silvicultural and measurement regime in place.

We warned of ‘Carbon Cowboys’ in the December 2007 Carbon Monitor. Again in December 2008 we highlighted the misuse of the VCS standard by amateur carbon advisors.

What we are seeing here is the ‘expertise’ of people and organisations that jumped into the carbon space seeing a quick buck when the ETS was announced in September 2007. Some carbon advisors know nothing of forestry and forestry practices and this is an example of this lack of expertise in action.

If you would like to fully understand the strategies needed for proper CAA selection contact Environmental Intermediaries & Trading Group Limited.

Further information on Carbon Trading the NZETS and Kyoto can be found at www.eitg.co.nz

ENDS

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