Carbon Crediting A Green Space Bandage or Cure

Abstract

Record ID: 247

Award(s): Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship

Program Affiliation: Capstone

Presentation Type: Poster

Abstract: The City of Cincinnati has proposed the Green Cincinnati Plan to help reduce greenhouse emissions and improve sustainability. Within this plan, there are many actions proposed to help make the city sustainable. Specifically, one proposed action focuses on whether carbon crediting can be an incentive to create green spaces throughout Cincinnati. Currently, there has been little research done on carbon credits in Cincinnati, although my preliminary research on other cities has shown that carbon credits can help incentivize green spaces but with little impact on overall carbon emissions. Partnering with the city's Office of Environment and Sustainability, I have conducted research centered around this question: How can the City of Cincinnati provide incentives and support for the use of carbon crediting and/or carbon offset programs to fund tree planting, maintenance, land conservation, and forest rehabilitation? In order to provide the Office with the information needed, I conducted research on how cities similar to Cincinnati have handled this action. Topics such as the upkeep of green spaces and how they affect the surrounding communities have also been observed. Additionally, data on the effectiveness of carbon crediting and carbon offsetting was collected. The outcome of this work will allow the city of Cincinnati to put in place actions to support green spaces.