Livestock

The Livestock Project Reporting Protocol and Livestock Project Verification Protocol provide guidance to account for, report, and verify GHG emissions reductions associated with installing a manure biogas control system for livestock operations, such as dairy cattle and swine farms. The Livestock Project Protocols are available for public use and are applicable in California and nationwide. Project developers that install manure biogas capture and combustion technologies will use this protocol to register GHG reductions with the Registry. These protocols were adopted by the California Registry Board of Directors in June 2007.

 

Overview of Protocol Development Process
To promote the positive contribution by the agriculture community to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the Registry is developing protocols that provide guidance to report and certify GHG reductions. We will initially focus on projects that capture and destroy methane emissions from livestock operations through the installation of an anaerobic digester. The users of the protocol will include dairy cattle, beef cattle, and swine farmers. Our objective in producing a livestock manure management project protocol is twofold: (1) facilitate activities that reduce GHG emissions by dairy, swine, and beef cattle farmers; and (2) assist livestock owners take advantage of opportunities in the emerging GHG, or carbon-offset, market. Project protocols provide guidance to assess the impact of an emission reduction activity and provide steps to credibly, transparently, and practically account for, report, and verify the resulting GHG reductions. Ultimately, project protocols enable project developers and GHG programs to demonstrate that the effects of the emission reduction activity are real, surplus, and verifiable.

Key Milestones
  • Spring 2006 – Registry conducts a scoping meeting to discuss reduction activities for the agriculture sector
  • Summer 2006 – Registry conducts literature review for manure management protocol
  • Fall 2006 – Registry forms the livestock manure management project protocol development workgroup
  • Spring 2007 – Registry to release draft project protocol for public review and comment
  • Summer 2007 – Registry to submit project protocol to Board for approval

    • This following article describes the Registry's livestock manure management project protocol and its development process:
    The California Climate Action Registry's Livestock Manure Management Project Protocol

    Literature Review
    The following matrix summarizes the literature resources reviewed:
    Resource Review Matrix (Excel)
    The following documents were included in the Registry's protocol development literature review:

    Climate Leaders Draft Manure Offset ProtocolUS EPA
    Technical Guidelines Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (1605(b)) ProgramUS Department of Energy
    Offset System for Greenhouse GasesGovernment of Canada
    Protocol for Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Reductions from Anaerobic DigestersChicago Climate Exchange
    Modalities and Procedures for a Clean Development Mechanism UNFCCC
    Simplified Clean Development Mechanism Modalities and ProceduresUNFCCC
    ACM0010 - Consolidated baseline methodology for GHG emission reductions from manure management systemsUNFCCC
    Clean Development Mechanism Small Scale Methane Recovery Baseline MethodologyUNFCCC
    Clean Development Mechanism Approved Baseline Methodology AM0006 UNFCCC
    Revision to Clean Development Mechanism Approved Baseline Methodology AM0016UNFCCC
    Monitoring, Reporting and Verification Protocol for the IEUA Anaerobic Digestor ProjectInland Empire Utilities Agency
    Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Model RuleRegional Greenhouse Gas Initiaitive
    The GHG Protocol for Project Accounting
    		WBCSD & WRI

     

    Workgroup Participants

    Sam HitzCalifornia Climate Action Registry
    Mike McCormickCalifornia Climate Action Registry
    Patrick GaffneyCalifornia Air Resources Board
    Kitty HowardCalifornia Air Resources Board
    Doug ThompsonCalifornia Air Resources Board
    Dan WellerCalifornia Air Resources Board
    Steve SchafferCalifornia Department of Food and Agriculture
    Susan WoodAgCert
    William SalasApplied Geosolutions
    Cynthia CoryCA Farm Bureau
    John ShearsCEERT
    Suzy FriedmanEnvironmental Defense
    Martha DavisInland Empire Utility Agency
    Scott LeloniManitoba Agriculture, Food and Rual Initiatives
    Allen DusaultSustainable Conservation
    Michael BoccadoroThe Dolphin Group
    Melissa WeitzU.S. EPA
    Frank MitleohnerUC Davis
    Paul MartinWestern United Dairymen
    Paul SausaWestern United Dairymen


    Please contact Derek Markolf with questions or comments This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it