Abstract

The Virginia General Assembly created the Carbon Sequestration Task Force in 2021 to examine the feasibility and potential to increase carbon sequestration in the Commonwealth. Specifically, the Task Force must (i) consider possible methods of increasing carbon sequestration within the natural environment through state land and marine resources use policies; agricultural, aquacultural, and silvicultural practices; and other practices to achieve natural resources restoration and long-term conservation; (ii) recommend short-term and long-term benchmarks for increasing carbon sequestration; (iii) develop a standardized methodology to establish baseline carbon levels and account for increases in carbon sequestration over time; (iv) identify existing carbon markets and considerations relevant to potential participation by the Commonwealth; and (v) identify other potential funding mechanisms to encourage carbon sequestration practices in the Commonwealth.

The charge required input from both the public and private sector, including many entities that devote time, energy, and resources to achieving Virginia’s clean energy goals for a safer, equitable climate future. The Deputy Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources and the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry would like to thank the participants in the Carbon Sequestration Task Force for their contributions to a well-grounded, science-based understanding of the potential to increase carbon sequestration through a variety of policy and market strategies...

The Virginia Coastal Policy Center and a team of students from William & Mary Law School and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science developed background research for this report and supported the work of the Carbon Sequestration Task Force.

This abstract has been adapted from the report's Acknowledgements section.

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

1-2022

Publication Information

Report to the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia

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