| Oregon's response to climate change |
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| Introduction |
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There is growing concern that greenhouse gas emissions associated with human activities are affecting the world's climate. A variety of efforts are underway at state, regional, national, and international levels to address greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to anticipated climate change.
Oregon has joined the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), a coalition of governments on the west coast working to inventory and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help stakeholders adapt to climate change. WCI covers an area from western Canada across the western U.S. and into Mexico.
The Oregon Global Warming Commission is working to develop policy recommendations to address climate change in future legislatures and administrations. Jim Rue, a former Board of Agriculture member, serves on the commission, and Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Katy Coba is a non-voting member of the commission. Department staff is also assisting with the commission's Natural Resources Committee.
The Oregon Legislature considered several bills related to climate change during the 2009 session. Congress is also considering climate change legislation.
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| Mandatory emissions reporting |
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The Western Climate Initiative published guidelines for its member governments to use when developing requirements to report greenhouse gas emissions. Members, including Oregon, are already moving forward to adopt reporting standards. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently adopted rules for mandatory reporting of greenhouse gases by certain stationary, high output emitters.
Most agricultural operations are not required to report, but the rules will affect some agricultural processors, including animal rendering facilities, beet sugar manufacturing facilities, grain elevators and animal feed manufacturers that have over 10,000 tons/year throughput, and grain/flour mills and potato chip/snack facilities that have any of the above permits.
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| Emissions cap and trade program |
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WCI partners have agreed to use a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Each WCI member state or province would have to adopt and implement the program through its own legislative and regulatory processes.
If Oregon participates in the WCI cap-and-trade system, the state will receive an overall "cap" or allowance to emit a certain amount of greenhouse gases. The state will then be responsible to work with businesses and other entities to cap their emissions and issue allowances to each entity. Over time, these allowed levels will be reduced. Emitters may reduce their own emissions by installing reduction technologies, or they may purchase "offsets" from others who have reduced their emissions or are sequestering carbon.
The cap-and-trade program regulations will probably not apply to most agricultural producers. However, it's important for agriculture to be involved at the state and national level to influence responses to climate change. There is potential for agricultural producers to receive incentives for practices such as conservation tillage, nutrient management, and streamside vegetation establishment. Input from the agricultural community is critical to ensure that climate change programs include workable incentives for farmers and ranchers.
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| Agricultural carbon credits |
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A variety of agricultural practices can reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon. Many producers are already using these practices because of other benefits, such as erosion control, water quality protection, and water savings.
- Reduced tillage, conservation crop rotations, establishing permanent cover, and other practices can help sequester carbon in the soil.
- Nutrient management practices can help reduce emissions of nitrous oxide.
- Manure management and livestock diet management can reduce methane emissions.
- Streamside vegetation establishment can sequester carbon and provide many other natural resource benefits.
There are several existing programs for agricultural producers who reduce emissions or sequester carbon. The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) purchases "offsets" for practices that reduce emissions or sequester carbon, offsetting greenhouse gases released by other emitters. Several offset aggregators help farmers and ranchers sell offsets on the CCX. The Climate Trust also purchases offsets associated with certain agricultural projects.
New incentives will likely be developed as part of national climate change legislation, the Western Climate Initiative and Oregon's strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It's important for agricultural producers to provide feedback on program design, and consider questions such as the following.
- Should incentives only be available to those who put projects in place from a certain period forward, or should we reward progressive growers who have adopted practices in the past?
- Should growers be able to receive multiple incentives for practices that provide multiple benefits, such as greenhouse gas emissions reductions, water quality protection, and water savings?
- Who should administer greenhouse gas reduction and carbon sequestration programs for agriculture?
- What types of practices should be eligible for incentives?
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| How to get involved |
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Voluntary strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Many practices reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon. Growers are already using many of these practices because they provide other natural resource benefits and save money.
The Oregon Agricultural Carbon Working Group identified existing incentives available for greenhouse gas reduction practices and also discussed the potential for growers to sell "offsets" for these practices. At this time, many practices may not be eligible for "offsets" because their benefits cannot be calculated accurately enough to meet offset program criteria. However, other incentives are still available for many practices that won't qualify for offsets.
Oregon global warming commission
Oregon's Global Warming Commission is working to develop policy recommendations to address climate change in future legislatures and administrations. Commission meetings are open to the public. You may also contact Oregon Department of Agriculture staff for more information about the Natural Resources Committee.
Agricultural carbon working group
A small group of agricultural interests, environmental interests, and carbon offset providers has been meeting to discuss voluntary agricultural projects that should be eligible for incentives through offset programs. To join the mailing list for the group, contact the Oregon Department of Agriculture Renewable Energy Specialist.
At the group's November 2008 meeting, The Climate Trust provided an overview of carbon offsets, and USDA Agricultural Research Service researcher Dan Long presented long-term soil carbon sequestration data from the Pendleton research station.
At the group's February 2009 meeting, Rick Engel from Montana State University discussed voluntary practices that can reduce nitrous oxide emissions. Mike Gaudern from Woodlands Carbon Company explained his company's work to aggregate carbon offsets.
At the group's April 2009 meeting, Stephanie Page gave an overview of energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities for agricultural producers. The group also discussed existing incentives for practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon, additional needs for incentives, and research needs into the benefits of certain practices.
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