The new Woodland Carbon Code is to be generally welcomed, it does not go as far as was hinted at in the drafts, but at last we have some national guidance which will provide clarity and transparency to investors.

Launched along with the guidance on reporting greenhouse gas removals and emissions from domestic woodland creation, we have the beginnings of a national online registry, but it should not be confused with international registries and does not allow access to international carbon markets. However, compliance with the Woodland Carbon Code allows recording of an investment in domestic woodland creation as a component in an organisation’s net greenhouse gas emissions.

Due to national registry double counting issues, any current alliance with VCS schemes (upon which it undoubtedly draws it’s lead) cannot be made, and we have to think in terms other than the offset we have grown accustomed to with international markets. However, the Code does provide opportunities for investors to be confident about any carbon removal, which if correctly designed, will have robust environmental, wildlife and social benefits.