Tree Planting as a Business Case & Providing an Offsetting Toolkit
We are pleased to announce the successful completion of an offsetting report for Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC), supporting their goal of becoming a net carbon neutral authority by 2030.
Understanding the Challenge
CCBC has a target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, therefore they need to consider how their residual emissions can be offset and what is the best method of doing so. Thus, they sought our expertise to investigate different opportunities that could be considered for offsetting, primarily looking at the business case for tree planting but also considering other offsetting opportunities.
Primary Objectives
The primary objectives of this commission included:
- Understanding the business case for tree planting
- Quantifying the potential tree cover needed based of their predicted residual emissions.
- Assessing other options for offsetting
Our Approach
We employed a comprehensive, multi-step approach to address CCBC’s needs:
- Inception & Project Management: We began with a collaborative inception meeting to confirm project aims, scope, key outputs, and timeline, ensuring clear communication throughout the project.
- Business Case for Land Purchase and Tree Planting: We explored the financial viability of purchasing land for tree planting, analysing the costs involved and the benefits. This analysis included:
- Identifying co-benefits of land acquisition (e.g., soil and air quality improvements, temperature regulation, social value, etc.)
- Discussing the opportunity cost of land and whether tree planting is the best use of that land
- Cost identification and validation through literature reviews and engagement with CCBC staff
- Consideration of sequestration rates to determine capital investment needed and the estimated tree cover needed
- Toolkit Development: We created an Excel-based toolkit enabling CCBC to compare tree planting costs with alternative offsetting options. Key features include:
- Adjustable variables for land prices, tree species,
- Alignment with the Woodland Carbon Code’s sequestration calculation methodology
- Flexibility to update costs of saplings, land prices, etc.
- Comprehensive Reporting – Our final report encompassed:
- Overview of national, regional, and local offsetting policies
- Findings from the business case and the cost and benefits of tree planting
- Co-benefits of tree planting such as the social, economic and biodiversity benefits
- Alternative offsetting options available
Key Outcomes:
This project delivered outcomes:
- A clear understanding of the scale of carbon offsetting required to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and the timescales required to deliver carbon sequestration through tree planting.
- A business case for land acquisition and tree planting as a carbon offsetting strategy
- A flexible toolkit for ongoing consideration of tree planting and other offset opportunities
- A comprehensive overview of the offsetting landscape, including policy context and alternative options