Åland has strong potential to develop a local and small-scale model for trading forest-based carbon credits. This was recently highlighted by Landsbygdens Folk in an article about Åland Forest Management Association’s work to explore how forest owners, companies and decision-makers can collaborate around verified climate benefits in Åland’s forests.
At a meeting in Mariehamn at the end of May, Åland Forest Management Association brought together representatives from forestry, business and the Government of Åland to discuss how an Åland pilot model could be developed in practice. Carbon Capture Company and Nordiskt Naturkapital contributed perspectives on certification, project development and market needs.
Carbon Capture Company has developed Carbon Forestry Standard – Sweden, a certification system for forest-based climate projects in actively managed forests. The methodology makes it possible to calculate, document and verify increased carbon sequestration in living forest biomass compared with an established reference scenario.
One key issue discussed at the meeting was how smaller forest owners could be brought together in a joint forest owner portfolio to create sufficient volume, while local companies could participate by financing verified carbon credits with a clear geographic connection.
Åland has several characteristics that make it particularly interesting as a pilot area: a clearly defined geography, a strong local identity and short distances between forest owners, companies and decision-makers. These conditions create strong potential for testing a model in which supply, demand, certification and communication are developed in parallel.
For Carbon Capture Company, the Åland initiative is an important example of how forest-based climate projects can be discussed in a concrete and local context, while the EU framework for the certification of carbon removals continues to develop.
Read the article by Landsbygdens Folk: “Åland vill skapa småskalig handel med skogsbaserade kolkrediter”.
