More on the Accounting Error

Key Policy Forum Paper in the journal Science
  • Fixing a Critical Climate Accounting Error (Literature)
    A multi-authored paper published October 23, 2009, in the Policy Forum section of Science by T. D. Searchinger et al., (Science, Vol. 326. no. 5952, pp. 527- 528). The authors point out that there is a critical accounting error in the Kyoto Protocol that allows biomass energy to be treated as carbon neutral, regardless of the source. The error is very large for forest biomass and creates strong, but inappropriate, incentives to clear land as carbon caps tighten. For a Plain-English explanation, see:

  • Green Nightmare: Burning Biomass is Not Renewable Energy
    Jeff Gibbs in Huffington Post (Dec. 17, 2009); follow-up comments to the Science paper (above)

    • Some responses from the forest industry in the U.S.:
    • Carbon Neutrality of Energy from Forest Biomass
      NAFO (National Alliance of Forest Owners, U.S.) responds to the Accounting Error paper, contending that "some mistakenly dispute the carbon neutrality of energy from forest biomass"; however they do not address the specific evidence and arguments in the Accounting Error paper.

    • Biomass Carbon Neutrality (PDF)
      In a similar vein, this document posted on the website for the American Forest & Paper Association challenges the conclusions of the Accounting Error paper. Their arguments are based mainly on the consequences of having to deal with the Accounting Error, and do not address the evidence and logic of the Accounting Error paper.

  • Is Biomass Carbon Neutral?
    Commentary by Evelyne Thiffault in Canadian Biomass, January 2010. She does not cite the accouting error but examines the concept of carbon neutrality of forest biomass. "Carbon-lean" she calls it, referring to the boreal forest. (Her comments would likely not apply as well to the Acadian forest, where fire is less common naturally.)



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