International Forest Carbon Association (IFCA)

Carbon Positive is involved with a number of participants in the forest carbon sector to establish a representative organisation, the International Forest Carbon Association (IFCA). The following founding stakeholders believe it is time to speak with a unified, effective voice to governments, the private sector, civil society and policy-makers:
 

• Patton Boggs LLP, USA
• Carbon Positive Services, Greece
• Carbon Credit Corp, Canada
• Macquarie Bank BioCarbon, Australia    
• CarbonFix Standard, Germany        
• Redd Forests, Australia
• BiodiversityWorks, UK

        
Currently there is no organization specifically devoted to representing the interests of private companies, NGOs and other entities participating in the forest carbon market. Yet forest carbon projects and their offset credits have their own unique attributes and challenges not shared with other carbon project types.  

Participants of this market are disparate and do not have a central point of reference or advocacy group and development of this sector requires specific promotion and coordination that recognizes its unique attributes and the importance of its role in the global climate change mitigation effort.
 
The International Forest Carbon Association will fulfill this role.

Mission
“To promote the interests of forest carbon project and program developers at local, sub-national, national and international levels, and instill ‘best practice’ professional, ecological, financial and ethical standards among public and private members across the sector.”

Objectives

• Protect and enhance the role of project development in forest carbon, in particular, defining the role of project-based activity in national and sub national REDD+
• Promote a robust financial framework for project activity that makes the sector attractive to private capital
• Help develop market mechanisms that will deliver a transparent and efficient global forest carbon market.
• Work with various forest carbon stakeholders to build partnerships and trust that will foster an equitable and well-functioning forest carbon market

Consultation
The founding group for IFCA undertook an online survey of the forest carbon sector across December 2010 and January 2011. Respondents were from among private companies, NGOs/Not for profits, government agencies and public companies in the roles of project developer, consultancy/service supplier, credit buyer/aggregator, legal advisory, financier/investor and standard setter.

On the central question posed:

• 83% saw a need for the international forest carbon association, as broadly proposed, to strengthen the sector of forest carbon project development
• 51% strongly saw that need
• only 3.6% said they saw no need

Timetable
The plan is to go through an enabling phase over the second half of 2011 and begin operation from January 2012. Registration of the Association as a non-profit corporation in the United States is complete and an application has been made for tax-free status.

Jul-Aug
Seek approval as a non-taxable entity from US IRS  

July-Sep
Widen group of founding members to finance and direct the formation of the association, begin executive management

Sep-Nov
Form policy and executive committees, secure ongoing funding, finalize membership offering, promotion and publicity

Jan 2012
Begin full operation of IFCA

Membership
Membership is invited from project developers and other participants and stakeholders across forest carbon supply chain, including investors and investment funds, carbon traders (aggregators to retailers), insurers, forest community and landowner representatives, carbon offset users. The association seeks to represent those engaged in the range of sector activities, including REDD/avoided deforestation and land conversion, afforestation and reforestation, forest restoration, sustainable/improved forest management (SFM/IFM) and wider ecosystem services.

Value Proposition
Members of IFCA can expect a range of benefits in return for membership:

• a voice in the development of legislation and regulations
• input to the development and harmonization of standards
• clearer communication with project certifiers and auditors
• the greater influence that comes with speaking collectively
• market connections; access to buyers and seller
• access to ‘best practice’ knowledge for project development
• help identifying potential capital sources for funding projects
• news and information sharing
• a higher profile for members’ activities; projects, offsetting, financing
• industry networking opportunities

Contacts
For more information on IFCA or to participate, including requests to view the full concept and plan, please contact:

Ian Hamilton                  ian.hamilton@ifca.cc [8]
Scott Deatherage           sdeatherage@PattonBoggs.com [9]
Gabriel Thoumi              gabriel.thoumi@fcmcglobal.org [10]

More:

WebSite: www.ifca.cc [11]
LinkedIn: Forest Carbon Association [12]