CARBON FOREST PROJECTS IN THE CONTEXT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI241111002PKeywords:
climate change, carbon footprint, Carbon Forest Projects, Zabaykalsky Krai, environmental management efficiencyAbstract
Carbon Forests Projects (CFPs) play a significant role in climate change mitigation strategies. Implementation of such projects should bring environmental benefits to companies, as well as contribute to improving the environmental management efficiency in the region. The aim of this paper is to analyze the possibility of developing CFPs as a tool to achieve carbon neutrality, taking into account its environmental and economic benefits. The analysis is undertaken on the example of the Bystrinsky Mining and Processing Plant (MPP), located at the Zabaykalsky Krai (southern Siberia, Russia). The ability of the forest lands to absorb greenhouse gas emissions is assessed using the ROBUL methodology. An important feature of CFPs is the ability to combine a positive environmental effect by contributing to climate change mitigation with strengthening the image of an environmentally friendly company. However, the analysis of CFPs implementation in the example of Bystrinsky MPP shows the excess of costs over benefits. In this regard, more effective projects can be proposed for regions with a high degree of forest cover, such as Zabaikalie. Reducing the risk of forest fires in such regions can have a more tangible environmental impact by preventing additional CO2 emissions. Identifying and comprehensively assessing the environmental and economic impacts of CFPs in the context of carbon neutrality facilitates the selection of the most relevant solutions.
Article metrics
References
Blanc, S., Accastello, C., Bianchi, E., Lingua, F., Vacchiano, G., Mosso, A., & Brun, F. (2018). An integrated approach to assess carbon credit from improved forest management. Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 38(1), 31–45. https://doi.org/10.1080/10549811.2018.1494002
Bolʹshaja rossijskaja enciklopedija (n.d.). Zabaikalie. Retrieved December 23, 2024 from https://bigenc.ru/c/zabaikal-e-1b5047?ysclid=m6ml6ey1z8359372727
Chen, X. (2023). The Development of China’s Carbon Emissions Regulation System. International Organisations Research Journal, 18(2), 68–81. https://doi.org/10.17323/1996-7845-2023-02-04
Eliseeva, M. V. (2022). Perspektivy razvitiya torgovogo sotrudnichestva Rossii so stranami Yugo-Vostochnoj Azii i Kitaem [Prospects for Russia's Trade Cooperation with Southeast Asia and China]. Society: Politics, Economics, Law, 9(110), 33–40. https://doi.org/10.24158/pep.2022.9.5
Federal'naja sluzhba po gidrometeorologii i monitoringu okruzhajushhej sredy (Rosgidromet), Institut globalʹnogo klimata i ekologii imeni akademika Ju.A. Izraelja (FGBU “IGKE”). (2018). Natsionalnyi doklad o kadastre antropogennykh vybrosov iz istochnikov i absorbtsii poglotitelyami parnikovykh gazov ne reguliruemykh Monreal’skim protokolom za 1990 – 2016 gg, Chast 1 [The National Report on the Inventory of Anthropogenic Emissions from Sources and Absorption by Sinks of the Greenhouse Gases not regulated by the Montreal Protocol for 1990–2016, Part 1].
Federal'naja sluzhba po gidrometeorologii i monitoringu okruzhajushhej sredy (Rosgidromet). (2023). Klimaticheskaya doktrina Rossijskoj Federacii [Climate Doctrine of the Russian Federation]. https://dipacademy.ru/documents/7336/MPUDKaI1ymUgyAAY2AsmVhO3UW0oOIs9.pdf
Fomenko, G. A., Romanovskaya, A. A., Fomenko, M. A., Loshadkin, K. A., Klimov, E. V., Lipka, O. N., Korotkov, V. N., & Aldoshina, A. S. (2022). Lesnye klimaticheskie proekty: vozmozhnosti i problemy realizatsii ESG podhoda. Chast 1 [Forest Climate Projects: Opportunities and Problems of Implementing the ESG Approach. Part 1]. Problems of Regional Ecology, 2, 91–106. https://doi.org/10.24412/1728-323X-2022-2-91-106
Galik, C. S., Murray, B. C., Mitchell, S., & Cottle, P. (2016). Alternative approaches for addressing non-permanence in carbon projects: an application to afforestation and reforestation under the Clean Development Mechanism. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 21, 101–118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-014-9573-4
Grafton, R. Q., Chu, H. L., Nelson, H., & Bonnis, G. (2021). A global analysis of the cost-efficiency of forest carbon sequestration. OECD Environment Working Papers, 185, https://doi.org/10.1787/e4d45973-en
GRK Bystrinskoe. (n.d.-a). Uvedomlenie o provedenii obshhestvenny`x obsuzhdenij [Notice of Public Discussion]. Retrieved October 20, 2024 from https://www.grkb.ru/news-and-media/press-releases-and-news/uvedomlenie-o-provedenii-obshchestvennykh-obsuzhdeniy-/?sphrase_id=24734
GRK Bystrinskoe. (n.d.-b). Bystrinskij Gok [Bystrinsky Mining and Processing Plant]. Retrieved October 20, 2024 from https://www.grkb.ru/company/about/?ysclid=m7xlpzuulz246741062#about-1
Kaarakka, L., Rothey, J., & Dee, L. (2023). Managing forests for carbon–Status of the forest carbon offset markets in the United States. PLOS Climate, 2(7), Article e0000158. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000158
Kai, M. (2022). Economic Cooperation between Russia and China in the Investment Sphere. Review of Business and Economics Studies, 10(4), 24–35. https://doi.org/10.26794/2308-944X-2022-10-4-24-35
Krenke, A., Ptichnikov, A. V., Schwartz, E. A., & Petrov, I. K. (2021). Assessments of the Forest Carbon Balance in the National Climate Policies of Russia and Canada. Doklady Earth Sciences, 501(2), 1091–1095. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X21120060
Kuznetsov, M. E., Nikishova, M. I., & Stetsenko, A. V. (2022). Perspektiva investirovaniya v lesoklimaticheskie proekty v Rossii [Prospects for Investing in Forest Climate Projects in Russia]. Economic Policy, 17(5), 26–53. https://doi.org/10.18288/1994-5124-2022-5-26-53
Lu, J., Yuanyuan, Y., & Jintao, X. (2020). Forest carbon sequestration and China’s potential: the rise of a nature-based solution for climate change mitigation. China Economic Journal, 13(2), 200–222. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538963.2020.1754606
Lyu, J., Cao, M., Wu, K., Li, H., & Mohi-ud-din, G. (2020). Price volatility in the carbon market in China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 255, Article 120171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120171
Makarenko, E. L. (2022). Ocenka i kartografirovanie prirodnoj pozharnoj opasnosti rastitel`nosti Bajkal`skogo regiona [Assessment and mapping of the natural fire hazard of the Baikal region`s vegetation cover]. Geodesy and cartography, 83(10), 40–52. https://10.22389/0016-7126-2022-988-10-40-52
Ministerstvo prirodnyh resursov i ekologii Rossijskoj Federacii (2020). Ob utverzhdenii Porjadka vedenija gosudarstvennogo lesnogo reestra [On Approval of the Order of State Forestry Management]. http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/Document/View/0001202012080063?index=1
Ministerstvo prirodnyh resursov i ekologii Rossijskoj Federacii. (2021). Ob utverjdenii pravil lesovosstanovlenia, formy, sostava, poryadka soglasovania proekta, osnovaniy dlya otkaza v ego soglasovanii, a takje trebovaniy k format v elektronnoy forme proekta lesovosstanovlenia [On approval of the rules of reforestation, the form, composition, procedure for approving the reforestation project, grounds for refusal to approve it, as well as requirements for the format in electronic form of the reforestation project]. https://www.garant.ru/products/ipo/prime/doc/403417664/
Ministerstvo prirodnyh resursov i ekologii Rossijskoj Federacii. (2022). Metodika kolichestvennogo opredeleniya ob’ema pogloshchenij parnikovyh gazov [Methodology for quantifying the volume of greenhouse gas absorptions]. http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/Document/View/0001202207290034
Ministerstvo prirodnyh resursov Zabajkal'skogo kraja. (2018). Lesnoy Plan I Lesokhozyaistvennye Reglamenty 2019–2028 [Forest Plan and Forestry Regulations 2019–2028]. https://minprir.75.ru/deyatel-nost/upravlenie-lesopol-zovaniya/131170-lesnoy-plan-i-lesohozyaystvennye-reglamenty-2019-2028-g-g
Nornikel. (n.d.-a). Zabajkal'skij division [Trans-Baikal Division]. Retrieved October 12, 2024 from https://nornickel.ru/business/assets/zabaykalsky-division/?ysclid=m6oqc75uqn315347473
Nornikel. (n.d.-b). Otchet ob ustojchivom razvitii 2021 [Sustainability Report 2021]. Retrieved October 12, 2024 from https://csr2021.nornickel.ru/ru/about/
Nornikel. (n.d.-c). Otchet ob ustojchivom razvitii 2023 [Sustainability Report 2023]. Retrieved October 17, 2024 from https://sr2023.nornickel.ru/climate-change/key-facts-figures
Obrazczov, M. A. (2021, November 26). Ocenka uglerodnogo sleda doby`vayushhego sektora metallurgicheskix kompanij Rossii i mira [Assessment of the carbon footprint of the mining sector of metallurgical companies in Russia and the world]. International Scientific and Practical Conference ˮNatural Sciences: Current Issues and Social Challenges“, Astrakhan, Russia. https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=47337105
Pravitelʹstvo Rossijskoj Federacii. (2021). Strategiya social’no-ekonomicheskogo razvitiya Rossii s nizkim urovnem vybrosov parnikovyx gazov do 2050 goda [Strategy of socio-economic development of the Russian Federation with low greenhouse gas emissions until 2050]. http://static.government.ru/media/files/ADKkCzp3fWO32e2yA0BhtIpyzWfHaiUa.pdf
Romanovskaya, A. A. (2023). Podxody k realizacii ekosistemnyx klimaticheskix proektov v Rossii. [Approaches to Implementing Ecosystem Climate Projects in Russia]. Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk. Seriya Geograficheskaya, 87(4), 463–478. https://doi.org/10.31857/S2587556623040118
Smyth, C., Smiley, B., Magnan, M., Birdsey, R., Dugan, A., Olguin, M., Mascorro, V. S., & Kurz, W. A. (2018). Climate change mitigation in Canada's forest sector: A spatially explicit case study for two regions. Carbon Balance and Management, 13, Article 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13021-018-0099-z
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (2013). Afforestation and Reforestation Projects under the Clean Development Mechanism: A Reference Manual. https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/cdm_afforestation_bro_web.pdf
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (2015). Paris Agreement. https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/parisagreement_publication.pdf
United Nations General Assembly. (2015). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015. Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. https://docs.un.org/en/A/RES/70/1
van Kooten, G., Johnston, C., & Mokhtarzadeh, F. (2019). Carbon Uptake and Forest Management under Uncertainty: Why Natural Disturbance Matters. Journal of Forest Economics, 34(1–2), 159–185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/112.00000446
Zamolodchikov, D. G. (2011). Sistemy otsenki I prognoza zapasov ugleroda v lesnyh ekosistemakh [Systems of Assessment and Forecast of Carbon Stocks in Forest Ecosystems]. Sustainable Forest Management, 4(29), 15–22. https://elibrary.ru/sytppd
Zamolodchikov, D. G., Grabovskii, V. I., & Chestnykh, O. V. (2018). Dinamika balansa ugleroda v lesah federal’nyh okrugov Rossijskoj Federacii [Dynamics of the carbon budget of forests of federal districts of Russian Federation]. Forest Science Issues, 1(1), 36–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.31509/2658-607X-2018-1-1-1-24
Zengina, T. Y., Kirillov, S. N., Slipenchuk, M. V., & Domashev, D. A. (2022, 19-21 April). Pyrogenic factor impact on the forest area dynamics in the Baikal Natural Territory: The case of the Kichera river basin Proceedings of SPIE. International Conference on Remote Sensing of the Earth: Geoinformatics, Cartography, Ecology, and Agriculture (RSE 2022), Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2642902
Zhou, W., Gong, P., & Gao, L. (2017). A Review of Carbon Forest Development in China. Forests, 8(8), Article 295. https://doi.org/10.3390/f8080295
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of the Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.