CLA Calm Calculator - Nicola Currie (CLA)
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The workshop discussed the impact of climate change on land management and introduced the CALM tool, an online calculator designed to help farmers measure and manage their greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration. CALM utilizes established methodologies to provide insights into various emission sources, allowing users to perform calculations and make informed decisions to improve sustainability. With over 4,000 users, CALM aims to increase awareness and readiness for participating in carbon offsetting and trading.
CLA Calm Calculator - Nicola Currie (CLA)
- 1. Workshop on AD 18 September 2008 Nicola Currie CLA Regional Director
- 2. The importance of Climate Change for land managers • The impacts are mixed, but mostly negative – Denser CO2 and warmer – But droughts, floods and storms – More plant and animal disease spread – Greater volatility to manage • Hence CLA work on this subject – Climate Change and the Rural Economy 2001 – Public Goods from Private Land 2005 – Climate Change and the European Countryside 2006 – High Level Climate Change Task Force 2007 – CALM 2008
- 3. The CLA is pre-eminent in doing work on climate change and the land sector.’ Jonathan Porritt Director Forum for the Future and Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission
- 4. The development of CALM • Started as an idea by Norfolk member Michael Sayer. • First built for a CC project on 21 European Estates, developed with the Climate Change Unit of the UEA with generous support from EEDA and others. • We decided to develop an online version to be publicly available. • This has been a collaborative effort with Savills Research Team and, again, kindly sponsored by EEDA and the Crown Estate.
- 5. CALM - the purpose • To raise awareness of climate change • To focus management attention on emission reduction and increase of sequestration • To be ready to deal with reduction targets • To prepare for participation in carbon offsetting and trading
- 6. CALM - the concept • CALM is free and everyone can use it! • It is an on-line, business-based calculator of a farm’s annual flows of GHGs, (emissions and sequestration). • CALM uses the internationally agreed IPCC methodology together with accounting guidelines approved by Government, for business to understand, quantify and manage GHG emissions. • We have taken the methods used for the national assessment of our industry and adapted them for application to individual businesses
- 7. What it includes • Following Government protocols CALM measures: – Scope 1 direct emissions from this business: • Fuel use in farm tractors & other vehicles & heating • Nitrogen fertilisers • Animal manure • Crop residues • Land use change – can be positive or negative – Scope 2 indirect emissions • Emissions created in generation of electricity used in the business – Carbon sequestration in soils, woodland and forest • It also reports on – Scope 3 indirect emissions, of significance but not controllable by the business • Emissions associated with N fertiliser manufacture
- 8. Health warnings –Complex subject, science is developing fast –Much controversy about what and how to measure. Greatest variance in N2O and CH4 emission factors. Official accounting methods and factors will inevitably lag the science. –It measures GHG effect of what a business does. Different business decisions will reflect different GHG outcomes, e.g. buy feed or feed own grains. NB –It is not product-based carbon footprint calculator
- 9. CALM, how to do it • Accessed through the CLA website – www.cla.org.uk and click on • User log-in to enable data to be saved – No personal data sought, confidentiality guaranteed – Enables year on year comparisons – Updating results as ‘factors’ are changed – ‘What if’ calculations with farming system • Data Entry and calculation • Results: running total, several reports • Interpretation and guidance: what can I do?
- 15. South East English Mixed Estate • Land Use 674 ha – Arable 286 ha • wheat, barley, oats, oilseed rape, S-A – Grass incl. maize 313 ha – Woodland 75 ha • Livestock – 240 dairy cows, 350 dairy followers & other cattle • Other data – Energy use – all forms – Nitrogenous fertilisers used – Animal manure – Crop residues – Woodland type, age and management
- 16. Carbon account for a S E England Mixed Estate – summary Emissions t CO2 e % – Energy use 251 11 – Fertilisers 477 21 – Cattle 1,435 62 – Crops and Grass 165 7 – Contracting -11 – Total emissions 2,317 100 Sequestration – Woodlands 991 Balance (emissions) 1,326
- 17. What can a farmer do about it? • First, know his emissions and sequestration • Do what-if calculations varying his land use • Then consider – Energy efficiency – Fertiliser use efficiency – Manure systems – Renewable energy
- 18. Finally - CALM some statistics • The most sophisticated land-based business calculator, It has: • 349 data entry items • 9,584 equations • 683 constants • Over 4000 people have logged on to the calculator on our website • So why not go and log on too when you get home today!