Carbon offsets as an economic alternative to large-scale logging: A case study in Guyana

Tracey Osborne; Clyde Kiker

doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2004.06.003

Carbon offsets as an economic alternative to large-scale logging: A case study in Guyana

Tracey Osborne, Clyde Kiker

Geography, Development and Enviroment, School of

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyze the economic viability of carbon-offset projects that avoid logging in Guyana's forests. The results of this case study illustrate the cost effectiveness of alternative land-use options that reduce deforestation and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This analysis demonstrates that using Guyana's rainforests for climate change mitigation can generate equivalent revenue to that of conventional large-scale logging without detrimental environmental impacts. At a 12% discount rate, the break-even price for carbon is estimated to be about US$ 0.20/tC. This estimate falls toward the low range of carbon prices for existing carbon offset projects that avoid deforestation.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	481-496
Number of pages	16
Journal	Ecological Economics
Volume	52
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2004.06.003
State	Published - Mar 1 2005

Keywords

Carbon offsets
Climate change mitigation
Deforestation
Guyana
Land use change and forestry

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Environmental Science
Economics and Econometrics

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10.1016/j.ecolecon.2004.06.003

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title = "Carbon offsets as an economic alternative to large-scale logging: A case study in Guyana",

abstract = "The objective of this study is to analyze the economic viability of carbon-offset projects that avoid logging in Guyana's forests. The results of this case study illustrate the cost effectiveness of alternative land-use options that reduce deforestation and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This analysis demonstrates that using Guyana's rainforests for climate change mitigation can generate equivalent revenue to that of conventional large-scale logging without detrimental environmental impacts. At a 12% discount rate, the break-even price for carbon is estimated to be about US$ 0.20/tC. This estimate falls toward the low range of carbon prices for existing carbon offset projects that avoid deforestation.",

keywords = "Carbon offsets, Climate change mitigation, Deforestation, Guyana, Land use change and forestry",

author = "Tracey Osborne and Clyde Kiker",

note = "Funding Information: The authors are grateful to many individuals and organizations in Guyana that provided invaluable assistance and information. Among them are the Guyana Forestry Commission, Barama Company Ltd., Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests, and the University of Guyana. Financial support of the research was provided by the University of Florida's Tropical Conservation and Development Program. We are also grateful to Paige Brown, Sapana Doshi, Cathleen Fogel, Matthias Fripp, Willy Makundi, Richard Norgaard, and Sergio Pacca who gave helpful comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript. Views expressed in this paper are solely those of the authors. ",

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AU - Kiker, Clyde

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N2 - The objective of this study is to analyze the economic viability of carbon-offset projects that avoid logging in Guyana's forests. The results of this case study illustrate the cost effectiveness of alternative land-use options that reduce deforestation and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This analysis demonstrates that using Guyana's rainforests for climate change mitigation can generate equivalent revenue to that of conventional large-scale logging without detrimental environmental impacts. At a 12% discount rate, the break-even price for carbon is estimated to be about US$ 0.20/tC. This estimate falls toward the low range of carbon prices for existing carbon offset projects that avoid deforestation.

AB - The objective of this study is to analyze the economic viability of carbon-offset projects that avoid logging in Guyana's forests. The results of this case study illustrate the cost effectiveness of alternative land-use options that reduce deforestation and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This analysis demonstrates that using Guyana's rainforests for climate change mitigation can generate equivalent revenue to that of conventional large-scale logging without detrimental environmental impacts. At a 12% discount rate, the break-even price for carbon is estimated to be about US$ 0.20/tC. This estimate falls toward the low range of carbon prices for existing carbon offset projects that avoid deforestation.

KW - Carbon offsets

KW - Climate change mitigation

KW - Deforestation

KW - Guyana

KW - Land use change and forestry

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Carbon offsets as an economic alternative to large-scale logging: A case study in Guyana

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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