A Description and Comparison of Selected Forest Carbon Registries

There is increasing interest in tools for measuring and reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Two tools that have been receiving a lot of attention are carbon markets and carbon registries. Carbon registries are established to record and track net carbon emission levels over time. These registries provide quantifiable and verifiable carbon for trade within a market. This report discusses the benefits and major elements of registries and then describes a selection of existing registries and protocols with forest carbon components. The report focuses on forests because of their carbon storage potential. The purpose of this report is to provide a starting point for any State government or other party considering the development of a carbon registry with a forestry component.