The potential for woodlands to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere while providing a host of other benefits for society and biodiversity is increasingly recognized in the UK. Many individuals and businesses wish to contribute to tree planting to help society soak up the carbon it emits. However, before investing in such projects, people want to be sure schemes will actually deliver the carbon savings that they claim.
The UK government is also interested in this issue, for two main reasons. Firstly, it wishes to ensure that the positive benefits of woodland creation don’t become diminished by false claims about carbon savings. Secondly, it hopes to mobilize more private finance by increasing investor confidence. This will help to achieve the ambitious woodland creation targets that all four countries of the UK have set.
Through the Forestry Commission, the government has developed a Woodland Carbon Code to provide assurance in the voluntary carbon market.
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