Potential for Carbon Credits from Conservation Management: Price and Potential for Multi-Habitat Nature-Based Carbon Sequestration in Dorset, UK

Ellie-Anne Jones, Lisa Paige, Albany Smith, Annabelle Worth, Lois Betts and Richard Stafford ()
Additional contact information
Ellie-Anne Jones: Centre for Ecology, Environment and Sustainability, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole BH12 5BB, UK
Lisa Paige: Centre for Ecology, Environment and Sustainability, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole BH12 5BB, UK
Albany Smith: Centre for Ecology, Environment and Sustainability, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole BH12 5BB, UK
Annabelle Worth: Centre for Ecology, Environment and Sustainability, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole BH12 5BB, UK
Lois Betts: Centre for Ecology, Environment and Sustainability, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole BH12 5BB, UK
Richard Stafford: Centre for Ecology, Environment and Sustainability, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole BH12 5BB, UK

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Carbon offsetting is currently a major tool in managing carbon emissions and informing sustainability plans of organisations in the drive to net-zero. This study aims to identify the offsetting potential of existing conservation schemes, and whether carbon offsetting credits could provide finance these conservation activities. The results from Dorset, in the UK, indicate that many existing conservation schemes in woodlands, heathlands, and grasslands cannot only enhance biodiversity but also capture significant amounts of carbon, and while habitats differ by region and country, the general results should be applicable elsewhere. We show that the cost per additional tonne of carbon sequestered as a result of conservation activities varies considerably between different conservation projects. On average, across the conservation projects we studied, the cost of this offsetting is GBP 80 per tonne CO 2 e sequestered and ranging between GBP 120 and GBP 0, depending on the project and whether existing biodiversity grants would be available. However, this figure was based on adapting and refining the existing conservation projects and did not involve expensive factors, such as purchase of land, which make the prices potentially unrealistic, especially in a Global North context. While the costs identified are higher than many offsetting schemes at present, it could present a useful option for those wishing to localise their offsetting. The concept is highly scalable and could remove significant amounts of carbon dioxide. Combining the approach with biodiversity credits or other credit schemes could make the higher costs more attractive to potential buyers.

Keywords: climate change; carbon offsetting; carbon credits; biodiversity; nature-based solutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/3/1268/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/3/1268/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:3:p:1268-:d:1332178

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().