Carbon markets can support invasive trees’ control with biomass-based value chains

Financial and human resources are insufficient to address environmental and socio-economic threats by invasive alien trees; besides, the financial feasibility of value chains using the biomass (hence contributors to trees removal) is disputed. In South Africa, we study the supporting role of carbon pricing mechanisms for value chains using biomass from invasive alien trees: do such value chains meet carbon credit issuance conditions (eligibility), and are carbon-related revenues significant enough to make a difference? We target three value chains and apply certified methodologies to quantify emissions reductions and incentives levels: biochar, lump charcoal for stoves, chips for steam production in industrial boilers. We find that eligibility depends on standards as their approach and criteria differ, yet the trend is supportive. Besides, the fact that invasive alien trees are an environmental liability has encouraged standards to adopt a more flexible approach and issue credits on the sole condition that clearing operations are sustainable and regardless of other considerations in terms of climate change mitigation impact. Carbon incentives vary greatly among projects and hold potential to make a difference with up to 20% of the final product value. This translates into an 8‐95% increase in the maximum affordable biomass supply cost to break even and depending on value chains and assumptions (e.g. market value of carbon credits). For biochar specifically, the prospects of very high-value carbon credits due to the alleged contribution as Carbon Dioxide Removals (CDR) would secure profitability even with very low biochar market prices, which is possibly a game changer to support biochar production in a context where willingness to pay by farmers/users remains low. Overall, our study shows that carbon markets could contribute to the management/eradication of invasive alien trees despite debatable mitigation impacts, but that value chains must also rely on solid markets for their end products to break even.