Protocol expands the Climate Action Reserve’s leadership in LAC climate action

LOS ANGELES, CA – In continued support for financing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions and providing opportunities for local communities in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, the Climate Action Reserve Board of Directors adopted the Argentina Livestock Protocol. The protocol is the only guidance for high-quality emissions reductions in the livestock sector that is specific to Argentina’s laws and regulations and common industry practice for the country. It also is the only livestock protocol that involved local stakeholders in its development.

“The Climate Action Reserve has been engaging with regulators and local stakeholders in the Latin America and Caribbean region for nearly two decades. Its leadership is reflected in the relationships built and the high-quality projects registered with the organization,” said Linda Adams, Chair of the Climate Action Reserve Board of Directors. “The Argentina Livestock Protocol provides an important building block for the voluntary reduction of emissions in Argentina and the region.”

Globally, Argentina is the second largest consumer of meat per capita, and only a small percentage of livestock operations in the country operate biodigesters to capture methane produced by the livestock. Common practice is to manage manure in open lagoons, allowing methane to freely vent into the air. Over a period of 100 years, methane is more than 28 times more potent to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.

Installing biodigesters is an expensive investment, making them cost-prohibitive to many operations. The ability to sell high-quality carbon credits generated from a livestock project developed under the Argentina Livestock Protocol provides a financial return on the biodigester investment for the livestock operator, and the buyer has confidence the credits issued under a Reserve protocol have integrity.

“Because of its jurisdictional approach and practice of involving sector and local stakeholders and experts, the Climate Action Reserve’s protocols are developed to be appropriate for their respective sectors and to have the most impact in reducing emissions and benefiting local communities,” said Craig Ebert, President of the Climate Action Reserve. “The Argentina Livestock Protocol was developed through a workgroup comprised of 16 representatives from industry, government and academia. Thanks to the contribution of their expertise and experience, the protocol offers specific and appropriate guidance for high-quality emissions reductions for livestock operations in Argentina. We’re looking forward to supporting the uptake of the protocol by local operations.”

The protocol is applicable to livestock operations with dairy cattle, beef cattle and swine.

To learn more about the protocol, please visit: https://www.climateactionreserve.org/blog/2024/10/02/argentina-livestock-protocol/

The Climate Action Reserve is the most trusted, efficient, and experienced offset registry for global carbon markets. A pioneer in carbon accounting, the Reserve promotes and fosters the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through credible market-based policies and solutions. As a high-quality offset registry for voluntary carbon markets, it establishes rigorous standards involving multi-sector stakeholder workgroup development and local engagement and issues carbon credits in a transparent and publicly available system. The organization also supports compliance carbon markets in California, Washington and internationally. The Reserve is an environmental nonprofit organization operating virtually with staff located around the world with a support office in Los Angeles, California. For more information, please visit www.climateactionreserve.org. The Climate Action Reserve is an equal opportunity provider.

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