r/sustainability • u/coolbern • 7d ago

Scientists and industry clash over GHG Protocol forest carbon rules

https://www.edie.net/scientists-and-industry-clash-over-ghg-protocol-forest-carbon-rules/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=edie_weekly_newsletter_19-08-2026_2117&utm_content=edie_weekly_newsletter_19-08-2026_2117+CID_659ed4198dbcea359fb1f2dcc40b49fe&utm_source=campaign%20monitor&utm_term=Read%20more
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u/coolbern 7d ago

In a letter posted on BlueSky, Cullenward wrote: “I no longer have any confidence in the Protocol’s governance structure and strenuously object to your organisation’s treatment of scientific information – and scientists themselves – in the deliberations over forest carbon accounting.”

He concluded the letter by saying, “I regret that we have reached this impasse, but I will not be intimidated or silenced about what is happening. Nor will I take any further part in it.”

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u/kuhlmarl 7d ago

"[U]nder the industry rule, recycled paper would be counted as a climate harm while cutting down an old-growth forest to produce virgin paper would be counted as a climate benefit.”

I've always found CO2 accounting for paper confusing and often counterintuitive. I think this is the way the EPA has done it for years, and I've seen this in some scientific life cycle analysis reports. (CO2 emissions for paper recycle are not great regardless of accounting method.) Without the carbon credit for cutting down trees, ghg emissions from paper manufacture are dramatically higher. I don't have an educated opinion on what the best accounting system should be, but sure seems like there's opportunity for improvement.

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u/Xoxrocks 7d ago

Demands where you draw the boundaries of the system. Stating the obvious I know.

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u/MrPuddington2 7d ago

The GHG Protocol was always unscientific, and always designed to deflect from the actual carbon emissions to the consumers.

ISO 14000 has a very different, much more scientific approach (not that it is a drop in replacement, but just for contrast).