Mitigating Climate Change Through Forest Carbon Programs: An Assessment of Corporate Timberland Companies

Abstract

Climate change, driven by increasing greenhouse gas emissions, has led to extensive environmental and socioeconomic consequences, including rising sea levels and extreme weather events. The urgency to mitigate these effects has pushed governments and industries to seek innovative solutions to reduce carbon footprints and promote sustainability. The rising concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is creating a significant imbalance in the carbon cycle, disrupting the natural exchange between the atmosphere and carbon sinks such as forests. Forests play a crucial role in mitigating these effects by absorbing CO2 emissions generated from the burning of fossil fuels for energy. Sustainable forest management practices, aimed at maximizing carbon storage in both forests and forest products, offer a powerful strategy to reduce atmospheric CO2. This study aims to explore how market-based mechanisms, such as forest carbon programs, can be harnessed to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets in line with international agreements like the Kyoto Protocol. By examining corporate timber companies' participation in carbon markets, the study highlights how sustainable forestry practices can align with economic goals to reduce atmospheric CO2 levels. Through a combination of a strategic assessment of literature and interviews with decision-makers in corporate forestry, this research investigates motivations, barriers, and opportunities for carbon market integration, climate policy priorities, and the potential to scale up corporate involvement in carbon projects.