Private financing of improved forest management and wetland restoration in the United States: carbon offsetting versus a contributions model
Barbara Haya, Research Fellow
Public Policy
Applications for Spring 2025 are closed for this project.
Carbon offsets are being widely used to meet carbon neutrality goals.
Improved forest management offset projects have generated around 45% of credits from projects based in the United States but research has shown that programs are grossly over-estimating project benefits. We are working with an interdisciplinary team of researchers to compare the potential benefits from an improved carbon offset model, or alternatively from creating programs that target specific types of forest management projects similar to making a donation. You will support the research team by updating a database of carbon accounting metrics and project goals of US-based improved forest management carbon offset projects.
Wetland restoration offers some of the greatest promise for directing private funding into projects with climate change mitigation, ecosystem, and resilience benefits. However, only a small portion of the close to 10,000 projects on the current voluntary carbon market supports wetland restoration. This study brings together an interdisciplinary team of coastal studies researchers to assess the quality of the most prominent carbon crediting programs supporting wetland restoration and explore how to amend the program to be a more effective financing source for these important projects. You’ll support the research team by helping with data collection in various ways.
Role: We look forward to involving you, and hearing your insights, in the other elements of the research and as we develop our findings and conclusions.
Qualifications: Most important is attention to detail, fearlessness in wading through long reports looking for specific information (we can help you figure out where to look and how to search), and an interest in climate change and forestry.
Hours: to be negotiated
Off-Campus Research Site: This research can be performed completely remotely.
Related website: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/faculty-and-impact/centers/cepp/projects/berkeley-carbon-trading-project
Environmental Issues Social Sciences