Authors: Murray, Brian C.; Baker, Justin S.

Source: Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Management, Volume 1, Number 1, February 2011 , pp. 27-36(10)

Publisher: Earthscan

Abstract:

US legislators have recently proposed output-based emissions intensity metrics as an approach to credit greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets from agriculture and other uncapped sectors. This article explains the features and rationale of the output-based offset (OBO) approach, outlines a candidate accounting methodology, discusses the potential advantages and limitations of such an approach relative to the area-based offset (ABO) approach that is standard practice in some settings, and introduces possible policy implications. By incentivizing improvements in agricultural efficiency, the OBO approach strives to achieve the dual goals of food security and climate change mitigation. It expands the toolkit for achieving reductions in agricultural emissions, rewards technological advancement in both emission reductions and yields, and offers promise for addressing the problem of accounting for leakage. But because it is based on improvements in GHG efficiency in agriculture rather than on absolute reductions, emissions and climate risks could continue to rise while credits are being issued. An OBO approach might work best as a transitional strategy to address emissions from sectors or countries likely to remain outside a strict regulatory cap. Because it is the total atmospheric concentration of GHGs that creates the environmental threat of climate change, policies should ultimately focus not on the intensity of emissions but rather on their absolute levels.

Articles that cite this article?

Keywords: agriculture; commodity prices; emissions intensity; GHG accounting methodology; leakage; offsets

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3763/ghgmm.2010.0004

Publication date: 2011-02-01

More about this publication?

• Greenhouse Gas Measurement & Management brings together information on the application of methods and techniques to estimate, measure, account and audit greenhouse gases. It presents conceptual, methodological and empirical analyses of policy-relevant metrics related to the management of greenhouse gases, and their impacts for industry, government and international organisations, with an emphasis on applied research.

  The journal provides a credible source of peer-reviewed data and information and offers a practical way of assessing the validity of current research and communicating it in a transparent and credible manner.

  Free online access for academic institutions and NGOs in 2011

  To sign up, please follow these instructions:

  1. Register here

  2. Once registered, click 'Set up subscriptions'

  3. Click the 'Add' tab and choose Earthscan from the list of publishers

  4. Tick the box next to Greenhouse Gas Measurement & Management

  5. Enter GHGMM in the text box to the right of the title

  6. Click 'Add'

  If you are already registered with IngentaConnect, please sign in, click on 'Administration' and follow steps 3-7.

  You will be granted access within 7 days and will receive a confirmation email as soon as your access has been activated.

• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Submit a Paper
• Subscribe to this Title
• Information for Advertisers
• Aims and Scope
• History
• Purchase Institutional subscription
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Earth and Environmental Sciences ,  Economics ,  Political Science
• By this author: Murray, Brian C. ;  Baker, Justin S.

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers