Conservation Ontario

Green Economy Road MapGreen Economy Road Map

June 15, 2012Tom Prout, General Manager,Ausable Bayfield Conservation

What is a Green Economy?

• Administration Green - things we buy

• Conservation Green – things we do

• Service Green – services we provide

• Some Green costs us money and some Green makes us money and it all contributes to the Economy

Historical Green

• Conservation Authorities have been contributing to a Green Economy since 1946. – Green staff– Green policies– Green services (conservation services)– Green partnerships

• Now is no time to stop being Green Leaders

A Bit of Philosophy

We may not have the answer . . . . . . doing nothing will guarantee we never will

Partnerships = Success

No one said partnerships are easy

Make friends with your adversaries – no one is wrong all of the time

A Bit More Philosophy

Make friends with your enemies – they may have the money you need to carry out a project

and you may have the expertise they need to carry out a project

Remember the old saying - insanity is “people doing the same thing over and over again

and expecting different results”

Choice Theory – “All we can give another person is information.”

Information

Trying to make sense out of: Carbon sequestration and

Future funding opportunities?

“Green Economy Road Map” – Just terms and concepts,

but what do they mean?

Information

“Forests have small impact on carbon emissions.”- College of Social and Applied Human Sciences

Insight, Professors Ze’ev Gedalof and Aaron Berg

“The conservancy announced it is earning $4 million with the largest forest carbon-credit project in North America from its 55,000-hectare Darkwood forest in southeastern B.C.”

- The Record.com

Trying to Understand Carbon Sequestration and Future Funding Opportunities

The carbon-offset value on 700,000 tonnes of emissions

Pacific Carbon Trust — the B.C. Crown corporation

that helps market carbon offsets purchased 450,000 credits from the

conservancy and the private Vancouver company Ecosystem Restoration Associates bought 250,000 credits.

Both firms will resell the credits to clients who want to meet carbon reduction goals.

Trying to Understand Carbon Sequestration and Future Funding Opportunities $4 million divided by 700,000 tons = $5.71/tonnes $4 million divided by 55,000 hectares = $72.70/ ha 700,000 tonnes divided by 55,000 hectares

= 12.7 tonnes of carbon/hectare

Credit Valley Conservation Authority’s study on ‘Present and Future Carbon Storage’ suggests they have a carbon density of 331 tonnes per hectare? Does this mean NCC has 318.3 tonnes of carbon/ha to sell?

Questions1. When trees die and decompose

is the carbon released back into the environment? 2. How long is the agreement with the Nature Conservancy

and Pacific Carbon Trust?3. Is carbon stored longer if the wood is harvested (sustainably)

and used for furniture and houses?4. The carbon credits sold by NCC are not new,

should the carbon credits be new?5. What value is there in ABCA’s forests, wetlands,

stewardship projects, future projects?6. Is the public willing to pay to offset

their personal carbon footprint?

Stephen Boles, MScPresident, Kuzuka Ltd.

ABCA Land Stewardship:

An Assessment of Carbon Sequestration and Future Funding Opportunities

Who is Steve Boles?

Bachelor of Science, University of Waterloo (1996)

EDUCATION

WORK EXPERIENCE

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Master of Science, University of Alaska (1998)

Research Scientist, Climate Change Research Center, University of N.H. (1999 – 2007)

President, Kuzuka Ltd., (2007 – present)

Instructor (GHG Management), Sustainability Learning Centre, (2010 – present)

KUZUKA Clients

The Carbon Issue

Rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are causing climate change:

Climate change impacts many aspects of human life:

FOOD PRODUCTION & SUPPLY

WATER AVAILABILITY INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTATION COSTS

INSURANCE PREMIUM COSTSSPECIES SHIFT & EXTINCTION

A lot of Interest in Carbon and Greenhouse Gases

O.Reg. 397/11 – mandatory GHG reporting and

Energy Management Plans by all municipalities and other government organizations over next two years

Te Apiti Wind Farm

Rice Husk Bio-energy

Madagascar AvoidedDeforestation

Sudan Bio-sand Water Filters

Community EcosystemRestoration in BC

Ontario Reforestation

Carbon Offsets allow businesses or individuals to voluntarily reduce all or part of their carbon footprint that can’t be avoided by investing in GHG-reducing projects like wind farms or reforestation.

Why Should ABCA Care About This?

Multi-stakeholder interest in GHG and carbon

A POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR ABCA AND ITS CONSERVATION PARTNERS

Objectives of Our Project

Quantify the carbon storage of ABCA forest projects (new plantings and existing plots) through literature review

Identify ways to communicate the carbon storage of ABCA forests to interested stakeholders by comparing it to equivalent GHG reductions

Identify opportunities that are available in the private sector to obtain funding for stewardship projects (e.g. sponsorships)

Recommend next steps that the ABCA should consider to begin accessing sources of private sector funding for forest projects

Carbon Storage in ABCA Forests

Carbon Storage Communication Examples

Sources of Funding – Corporate Sponsorships

For the launch of Blue Planet enviro light bulbs, Canadian Tire donated $2 for every package of bulbs bought ($250,000 total)

Donation to plant 8000 trees to celebrate launch of paperless statements ($20,000 total)

Donation to greening schools program to celebrate their 50th anniversary ($85,000 total)

Donation to tree planting efforts to celebrate the launch of new biodegradable pens ($20,000 total)

1. Provide continued support to your charitable partner organizations (e.g. Conservation Foundation, Land Trust Conservancy) as the avenue for receiving and soliciting corporate sponsorships.

2. Consider engaging with other stewardship organizations in southwestern Ontario to discuss the establishment of partnerships that would increase marketing opportunities and geographic coverage.

3. Develop a list of potential corporate sponsors for whom a relationship with ABCA would be a ‘good fit’ with their community focus and sustainability mandate (NextEra Energy, Ellison Travel, BM Ross, Bluewater Recycling, United Communities Credit Union)

Recommendations

4. Create a staff or contract position dedicated to obtaining corporate sponsorships and donations.

5. Develop a formal communications strategy tailored for corporate sponsorships

• Establish a goal or target pertaining to watershed forest cover against which corporate sponsorships will be applied.

Recommendations

7. Use the benefits of the ABCA’s land stewardship initiatives using carbon-based themes in communication and outreach.

8. Update the ABCF page on the ABCA website to provide the opportunity for individuals and small businesses to donate directly through an online payment gateway.

Recommendations

Thank you!