Carbon finance in extensively managed rangelands: issues in project, programmatic and sectoral approached

Considering their vast geographic area and the documented carbon (C) sequestration effects of a variety of rangeland management practices, there is considerable interest in the potential of C finance in rangelands, where it is still very much in its early stages. Pilot projects are essential to exploring this potential in practice. Ex ante assessments at the project level show areas of positive potential, but have identified several areas where documentation is insufficient, and critical constraints that exist in some contexts. This chapter summarizes these potentials and constraints, and then discusses opportunities and challenges in view of the major options currently being considered for a post-Kyoto agreement that includes agricultural land use: project, programmatic and sectoral approaches (including unilateral mitigation actions, supported mitigation actions and sectoral crediting approaches). The paper describes this emerging architecture for future mitigation options, and analyses the requirements for developing project, programmatic and sectoral approaches. It concludes by highlighting key actions required to promote the development of project, programmatic and sectoral approaches to rangeland-based mitigation

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