Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 4:00-5:00 EST / 1:00 – 2:00 PST

WEBINAR SLIDE DECK

On January 24th 2013 the REDD Offset Working Group (ROW) released its draft recommendations on how the states of California, Chiapas and Acre can link together to develop the world’s first sector-based, jurisdictional REDD+ offset program within a cap and trade compliance system. The report is available at www.stateredd.org.

Join ACR’s featured speakers from the REDD Offset Working Group: Tony Brunello, Green Technologies Leadership Group; Daniel Nepstad, Amazon Institute of Environmental Research; and Ludovino Lopes, Consultant to the Secretary of Environment for the State of Acre, Brazil for an overview of the ROW recommendations including design elements of compliance-grade REDD+ programs, legal and institutional issues associated with subnational linkages, and social and environmental safeguards.

Friday, January 18, 2013 11:00 – 12:00 EST / 8:00 – 9:00 PST

WEBINNAR SLIDE DECK

Winrock’s American Carbon Registry (ACR) recently announced an open public comment period and is seeking stakeholder feedback on a voluntary carbon offset methodology for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Measurement and Monitoring Methodology for Carbon Capture and Storage Projects in Oil and Gas Reservoirs.  Join the ACR webinar to learn more about and provide feedback to ACR on eligible activities as well as baseline and emission reduction quantification under the methodology. Presentations will be made by Mahesh Gundappa of Blue Strategies and Nicholas Martin of ACR.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013 12:30 – 2:00 EST / 9:30 – 11:0p0 PST

WEBINAR SLIDE DECK

Winrock’s American Carbon Registry (ACR) recently announced an open public comment period and is seeking stakeholder feedback on a new voluntary carbon offset methodology for Grazing Land and Livestock Management (GLLM). Join the ACR webinar to learn more about and provide feedback to ACR on eligible activities as well as baseline and emission reduction quantification under the methodology. Presentations will be made by Tim and Nancy Harris of Winrock’s Ecosystem Services team and Nicholas Martin of ACR.

Wednesday, January 30th, 2013 Noon – 1:30 EST / 9:00 – 10:30 PST

WEBINAR SLIDE DECK

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has approved the American Carbon Registry (ACR) as an Offset Project Registry (OPR) for the California Cap-and-Trade Program. Please join ACR for this webinar to learn how as an OPR, ACR will work with ARB to oversee the registration and issuance of California-eligible Registry Offset Credits developed using ARB’s compliance protocols and Early Action Offset Credits developed using the ARB-approved early action offset protocols. Registry Offset Credits and Early Action Offset Credits are eligible to be transitioned into ARB compliance offset credits that may be used in the Cap-and-Trade Program.

Belinda Morris, Niholas Martin and Lauren Nichols of ACR will present the steps to list and verify offset projects under early action and compliance protocols as well as the process to issue Registry Offset Credits and Early Action Offset Credits on ACR and transition projects to the ARB registry for issuance of compliance offsets.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 Noon – 1:30 EST / 9:00 – 10:30 PST

WEBINAR SLIDE DECK

Winrock’s American Carbon Registry (ACR) recently announced approval of a methodology for Restoration of Degraded Deltaic Wetlands of the Mississippi Delta. The methodology was developed by Dr. Sarah Mack of Tierra Resources LLC, with contributions from Dr. Robert R. Lane and Dr. John W. Day of Louisiana State University, and with funding from Entergy Corporation.

The methodology utilizes a modular approach to provide flexibility and broadly addresses wetland restoration by including a wide range of eligible activities, including wetland management implemented on degraded forested and non-forested wetlands in the Mississippi River Delta. Eligible restoration activities to increase carbon stocks include: 1) assisted natural regeneration, seeding, or tree planting; 2) hydrologic management of nutrient-rich waters, including options for diversion of river water into wetland, introduction of nonpoint source runoff into wetlands and discharge of treated municipal effluent into wetlands; or 3) a combination of both activities. In addition, projected wetland loss may be included in the baseline scenario, and the prevented loss due to restoration activities counted towards carbon offsets.

Please join ACR for this webinar to learn from methodology author Sarah Mack of Tierra Resources and Nicholas Martin of ACR who will present details on the methodology, including eligible activities and geography, emission reduction quantification, monitoring and verification, and project registration on ACR.

Winrock’s American Carbon Registry (ACR) recently announced an open public comment period and is seeking stakeholder feedback on a carbon offset methodology for Avoided Conversion of Grasslands and Shrublands to Crop Production (ACoGS). The methodology was developed by Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, The Climate Trust, Environmental Defense Fund, and Terra Global Capital.

The methodology estimates the emissions avoided from preventing the conversion of grasslands and shrublands to commodity crop production. Grassland and shrubland soils are significant reservoirs of organic carbon that, if left uncultivated, will continue to store this carbon below ground. In addition to the avoided cultivation and oxidation of soil carbon, several crop production practices, such as fertilizer application, may also be avoided.

Join the ACR webinar to learn more about and provide feedback to ACR on eligible activities as well as baseline and emission reduction quantification under the methodology. Presentations will be made by Randal Dell of Ducks Unlimited and Nicholas Martin of ACR.

Thursday, November 15, 2012 3:30 – 5:00 EST / 12:30 – 2:00 PST

WEBINAR SLIDE DECK

Winrock’s American Carbon Registry (ACR) recently approved a new Methodology for Quantifying Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Emissions Reductions from Reduced Use of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Agricultural Crops. 

This new methodology, developed jointly by Michigan State University (MSU) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), makes it possible for corn farmers in the 12 states of the North Central Region of the United States to participate in carbon markets by creating greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets by reducing the amount of nitrogen they use to fertilize their crops. These offsets can be sold to other carbon market participants to meet GHG emission reduction targets or requirements.

Please join ACR for this webinar to learn from the methodology authors, Neville Millar and Phil Robertson of MSU, how to develop and implement offset projects based on the ACR methodology. The webinar will cover the specifics of the methodology, including eligible activities and geography, emission reduction quantification, monitoring and verification, and project registration on ACR. The webinar also will include presentations by Nicholas Martin of ACR and Adam Diamant of EPRI. .

Nitrogen fertilizers represent one of the largest sources of GHG emissions from global agricultural production, resulting in significant emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a GHG with approximately 300 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide (CO2). Corn is among the most intensive uses of fertilizer, both per acre and in total use, and represents a significant opportunity for nitrogen use efficiencies that could reduce emissions as well as farmers’ input costs while maintaining yields.

ARLINGTON, Va. and NEW ORLEANS, La. (Sept. 18, 2012) – A revolutionary new tool is now available to help restore the Gulf of Mexico’s disappearing coastal wetlands — Louisiana’s first line of defense against damaging hurricanes like Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Isaac. Funded by Entergy Corporation, developed by New Orleans-based Tierra Resources and approved for use by the American Carbon Registry (ACR) following stakeholder consultation and scientific peer review, the new tool creates a self-sustaining revenue source for wetlands restoration through the sale of carbon offsets.

Here’s how it works: When Mississippi River delta wetlands are restored, landowners can use the new methodology to calculate the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions the rebuilt wetlands will absorb over time. Included in the calculation are the emissions avoided by slowing the rapid loss of existing wetlands throughout the region. The result is registered carbon credits, which landowners can sell to companies that want to offset their greenhouse gas emissions. The proceeds from the sale of carbon credits help offset the landowner’s costs for wetland restoration activities.

The new ACR offset methodology provides a rigorous scientific framework for project development and is unique in providing for generation of carbon offset credits for a wide range of restoration techniques. This includes reforestation and hydrologic management techniques, such as wetlands assimilation. Such techniques introduce treated municipal effluent, providing fresh water and nutrients to increase wetland productivity.

Entergy has provided additional funding to Tierra Resources to pilot the first wetland restoration offset project in the nation applying the ACR methodology. The project, the Luling Oxidation Pond Wetlands Assimilation project, 19 miles west of New Orleans, will discharge treated municipal wastewater into an adjacent 950-acre wetland property to help restore the wetland’s function and thus increase carbon sequestration.

“With operations that include Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, Entergy values wetlands as a first line of defense against storm surge and flooding, and their protection and restoration are vital to the sustainability of coastal Louisiana,” said Chuck Barlow, vice president, environmental strategy and policy for New Orleansbased Entergy. “Wetland restoration  will not only help restore the coastal cypress forest but will also provide multiple benefits to the citizens of St. Charles parish such as reduced storm surge, potential job creation, and enhanced wildlife and fisheries.”

Tierra Resources initiated the innovative partnership that includes St. Charles Parish and Rathborne Land Company to pursue the project as an alternative to tertiary treatment of municipal effluent. Saint Charles Parish plans to compensate the wetland property owner for the beneficial use of the land through the sale of the carbon offsets generated by the project.

“The partners hope to demonstrate wetlands assimilation as an environmentally beneficial alternative to conventional wastewater treatment, while leveraging the carbon market to compensate the landowner,” said Dr. Sarah Mack, president and CEO of Tierra Resources. “We believe that the results will be highly transferable to other areas and restoration techniques.”

The methodology and pilot project development support was provided by Entergy’s Environmental Initiatives Fund. Through the fund shareholders help companies like Tierra Resources develop leading-edge technologies that align with Entergy’s environmental strategy.

“American Carbon Registry is thrilled to announce approval of the wetlands restoration methodology, which we hope will succeed in leveraging the carbon market to bring much-needed funding for these projects,” said Nicholas Martin, ACR chief technical officer.

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About the American Carbon Registry

The nonprofit American Carbon Registry (ACR), an enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its strong standards for environmental integrity. Founded in 1996 as the first private voluntary registry in the world, ACR has 15 years of experience in the development of rigorous, science-based carbon offset standards and methodologies as well as in carbon offset issuance, serialization and transparent online transaction and retirement reporting.

About Entergy Corporation

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including more than 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power, making it one of the nation’s leading nuclear generators. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $11 billion and approximately 15,000 employees.  

About Tierra Resources

Based in New Orleans, La., Tierra Resources was founded in 2007 with a mission to conserve, protect, and restore coastal wetland ecosystems by creating innovative solutions that support investment into blue carbon contained in coastal wetland ecosystems, such as estuaries, mangroves, and salt marshes. Tierra Resources’ services enable landowners, corporations, nonprofits, and government clients to understand the regulatory, financial, and scientific landscape to preserve and restore wetlands and monetize wetland offsets.

Contact:

Mary Grady, American Carbon Registry Tel: (805) 884-1961 Email: mgrady@winrock.org

Mike Burns, Entergy Corporation Tel: (504) 576-4238 Email: mburns@entergy.com

Sarah Mack, Tierra Resources Tel: (504) 339-4547 Email: sarahmack@tierraresourcesllc.com