Agroforestry has long been appreciated for having a great potential for increasing and, above all, permanently storing carbon in the biomass and the soil. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU), the European Commission and Parliament recognise agroforestry as a very suitable option in the fight against the climate crisis and in adaptation to its impacts. Of recent interest is financing such climate adaption with market-based instrument like climate- or carbon certificates. In light of the upcoming EU Carbon Farming-Directive, the Fit-for-55-debate as well as the revision of the CAP and LULUCF-mechanisms, there is an urgent need for some guidelines for climate certificates within agroforestry measures and which role these may play in the future. The carbon reduction potential and accounting principles in agroforestry outlined in this article cover four sectors - comparable to other land use-based strategies. 1) above-ground biomass, 2) belowground biomass, 3) the soil, and 4) the up- and downstream sector. The recommendations cover ten frequently discussed topics and concerns, namely 1) additionally, 2) quantifiability, 3) displacement effects, 4) contribution to food security, 5) additional emissions, 6) longevity and durability, 7) traceability, 8) transaction and opportunity costs, 9) synergies and compromises with other goals, and 10) security, trust and transparency. If the recommendations developed are taken into account, the authors conclude that the climate protecting and mitigation services of agroforestry in the form of carbon reduction potential can and should be rewarded by climate or carbon certificates. On the one hand, this could be seen as an innovative and promising way of financing future agroforestry systems; on the other hand, it must be ensured that the measures meet minimum scientific and social requirements. If planned scientifically sound, reliable, transparent and ethically just, there is a good chance to create with climate certificates for agroforestry some contributing solutions for EUs ambitious climate target plan, a 55 percent greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 compared to 1990.
Hubner, V; Böhm, C; Eysel-Zahl, G; Kudlich, W; Kursten, E; Lamersdorf, N; Meixner, CA; Morhart, C; Peschel, T; Tsonkova, P; Wiesmeier, M
Carbon certification trough agroforestry?! Potential, accounting and recommendations
Berichte Uber Landwirtschaft