NFU critiques federal GHG offset scheme
On May 4th, 2021, the NFU submitted a brief critical of GHG offsetting schemes and soil-based offset protocols. The NFU raised concerns regarding farmer lock-in and liability; the inappropriateness of using offset schemes to fund soil health measures; and the unworkableness of soil-based offsets that require 100 to 200 years of monitoring and reporting.
The NFU strongly recommended actually reducing GHG emissions from fossil fuel use rather than offsetting them. And we recommended comprehensive, publicly funded programs to incentivize farmers to protect and restore soils. The NFU report concluded:
“It is right to incentivize and support farmers to improve soil health and levels of soil organic matter and carbon. It is wholly wrong to see these on-farm activities as somehow offsetting fossil fuel emissions.”
The full report is available here as a pdf. A thorough summary is also available in French.
Fed’l Regulations for Offset Protocols – NFU submission – May 2021 – Final
Fed’l Regulations for Offset Protocols – NFU submission – FR – Final
