Economics of Climate Change: The Contribution of Forestry Projects

The Kyoto Protocol is expected to give lead to the creation of an international market for greenhouse gas emission credits having an estimated volume of several tens of billions of dollars. The extent to which forestry projects will be accepted in this market is a matter of current discussion and controversy. In its evaluation of the contribution of forestry projects to climate change mitigation, this book draws together a number of relevant aspects, including the stability of international agreements, causes and consequences of deforestation, and the CO2 effect of forestry projects. This wide perspective gives an appreciation of often unappreciated problems and opportunities associated with forestry projects in the context of climate change. The book includes case studies of two forestry projects which provide an introduction to such concepts as baseline, additionality, and leakage - concepts that are commonly used to assess greenhouse gas mitigation projects.