Voluntary offsetting actions: SISEF congress at impact zero... appropriate choice?

Abstract

Everyone have a carbon footprint. It represents the CO2 emission amount caused by the activities of a person during a specific interval time. The purpose of the study is to calculate CO2 emissions deriving from the VII SISEF Congress activities. The idea is to provide on add a value to the event through the realization of voluntary offsetting actions. These actions are local projects of sustainable forest management and tree plantation in order to improve carbon stock. Specifically, the emissions offset will be realized through direct actions: (1) a plantation of about 50 trees in the parking of STAT department of the University of Molise; (2) implementation of an arboretum in the Apennine flora Garden of Capracotta; and (3) a coppice conversion plan in Monte Vairano (Campobasso), owned by the University of Molise. The methodology foresaw the currently stored carbon baseline calculation and the expected time accumulation for the entire duration of the actions. The STAT Department of the University of Molise will bind its interventions in order to avoid additionality feature and will monitor over time to ensure the effects permanence in carbon storage. The total emissions calculations of Congress amounted to around 12 Mg CO2 and proposed offsetting actions largely exceed that value.

Keywords

• Kyoto protocol
• CO2
• Carbon
• Sink