Comparative study of selected greenhouse gas offset protocols

Abstract

Purpose

The paper is an excerpt from a more comprehensive study by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection comparing the technical elements of offset projects in forestry, agriculture, and waste management, as well as some miscellaneous project types. The authors compare and contrast design elements of three specific offset projects: afforestation/reforestation, manure management, and landfill gas capture. The technical review for each offset project is concluded with a look at the potential applicability for that project in Florida in the context of the protocols evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

Offset projects that may be employed in Florida are first broken up into comparable design elements specific to the selected offset project type. Focusing on the design elements, a discussion of the similarities and differences among the protocols for each offset project is presented. Each section begins with general findings then moves on to assessments of the detailed design elements. Finally, the project's general applicability to Florida is considered, highlighting specific strengths of particular protocols from the analysis of the design elements.

Findings

Protocols tend to vary from highly specific requirements to a more general set of recommendations. Interestingly, no one program's set of protocols is the most opportunistic for Florida, but rather various protocols may have distinctive strengths depending on the project type.

Originality/value

Many comparative studies of offset protocols evaluate protocols in the context of program‐level policies. This study uniquely values the technical details in the protocols and does not consider policy or program‐level issues.

Citation

Stevens, K.A., DeAngelo, G. and Brice, S. (2011), "Comparative study of selected greenhouse gas offset protocols", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 3 No. 2, pp. 118-139. https://doi.org/10.1108/17568691111128977