By Lydia Wheeler, The Hill
Chevrolet has purchased carbon credits from ranchers in North Dakota via a new program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture public-private partnership program is a byproduct of the Climate and Natural Resources Priority Agenda the Obama administration created in October as part of the president’s effort to counter global warming.
Carbon credits are created when ranchers prevent their property from being converted to cropland through voluntary easements and eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions that would have been generated by farm equipment.
In North Dakota, Chevrolet’s purchase keeps 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide out of the air and gives ranchers a new revenue stream.
“The amount of carbon dioxide removed from our atmosphere by Chevrolet's purchase of carbon credits equals the amount that would be reduced by taking more than 5,000 cars off the road,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release.
“This public-private partnership demonstrates how much can be achieved with a modest federal investment and a strong commitment to cut carbon pollution.”
In 2011, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service gave Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit conservation organization, a $161,000 Conservation Innovation Grant to quantify carbon credits – the amount of carbon that remains stored in soil by preventing grassland conversions.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture public-private partnership program is a byproduct of the Climate and Natural Resources Priority Agenda the Obama administration created in October as part of the president’s effort to counter global warming.
Carbon credits are created when ranchers prevent their property from being converted to cropland through voluntary easements and eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions that would have been generated by farm equipment.
In North Dakota, Chevrolet’s purchase keeps 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide out of the air and gives ranchers a new revenue stream.
“The amount of carbon dioxide removed from our atmosphere by Chevrolet's purchase of carbon credits equals the amount that would be reduced by taking more than 5,000 cars off the road,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release.
“This public-private partnership demonstrates how much can be achieved with a modest federal investment and a strong commitment to cut carbon pollution.”
In 2011, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service gave Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit conservation organization, a $161,000 Conservation Innovation Grant to quantify carbon credits – the amount of carbon that remains stored in soil by preventing grassland conversions.
CLICK HERE for more information about the program
Source: The Hill
Posted by Jami Howell
