Nature – Macintosh et al. (2024): Australian human-induced native forest regeneration carbon offset projects have limited impact on changes in woody vegetation cover and carbon removals
Andrew Macintosh, Don Butler, Pablo Larraondo, Megan C. Evans, Dean Ansell, Marie Waschka, Rod Fensham, David Eldridge, David Lindenmayer, Philip Gibbons, Paul Summerfield IN: Communications Earth & Environment, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01313-x
The authors analysed the performance of one of the world’s largest nature-based offset types: human-induced regeneration projects under Australia’s carbon offset scheme. The projects are supposed to involve the human-induced regeneration of permanent even-aged native forests through changes in land management. They analysed 182 projects and found limited evidence of regeneration in credited areas. Changes in woody vegetation cover within the areas that have been credited also largely mirror changes in adjacent comparison areas, outside the projects, suggesting the observable changes are predominantly attributable to factors other than the project activities.