06 January 2022
Carbon trading and the treatment of natural capital have been high on the agenda at the Oxford Farming Conference. Speakers and delegates have highlighted potential risks associated with seeking to benefit from new markets now coming online. But there’s a call for farmers and land managers to take control of a new income stream worth an estimated £1.7 billion.
“While caution may be prudent, don’t let this paralyse you into inactivity,” noted Richard Williamson, Senior Managing Director of Trinity AgTech, which hosted a fringe session entitled How to capture the value from natural capital on Wednesday, 5 January, attended by over 250 online delegates.
“Don’t give away your natural assets in what may turn out to be a poor deal. But do give yourself the right to choose how they are managed and how you can benefit. The first step is to take control of what you have – measure it so that you are in a position to make an informed choice, whatever your preference or however you wish to benefit.”
Sandy by Trinity AgTech is already recognised across the industry as the leading carbon calculator for all who manage the land. Uniquely, it also assesses a farm’s biodiversity, water stewardship and agroforestry. “One of the first steps to take is to accurately measure your baseline. Sandy applies the latest science and technology to ensure a result that meets all the recognised standards and one in which you can have complete confidence,” added Richard.
Once you have these measurements, Sandy provides scenarios to improve the farm's performance, whether that’s to enhance the value of the farm's produce, comply with retailer's demands or to generate carbon credits. “They’re also dynamic, helping you adjust your plan to changing financial and market conditions.”
Trinity Natural Capital Markets opens for commercial trading on 11 January, noted Senior Manager for NCM Louisa Knocker, who encourages farmers to get involved and explore the new income streams. “There’s a very broad spread of options available through NCM – it’s been designed to cater for all buyers and sellers of natural capital solutions, whatever your attitude to risk,” she said.
Designed to maximise the growth of natural capital and its associated financial gains, Trinity NCM model contracts are underpinned by robust legal and contractual undertakings. They’re also aligned with the Core Carbon Principles established by the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets. “But they’re not prescriptive – the farmer remains in control of how they manage their natural capital and what they choose to do with their carbon credits and biodiversity co-benefits,” added Louisa.
Trinity Founder and Executive Chairman Dr Hosein Khajeh-Hosseiny noted that although about 52% of the world’s annual income of around $94 trillion was reliant on natural capital, less than 2% of this currently comes to its owners and stewards. This has led to inequity, economic marginalisation and environmental decline.
“When there’s inadequate financial appreciation of natural capital, powerful companies and institutions create an aristocracy of their own, and we end up with green washing and inequity.”
Hosein stressed the need to safeguard against “green grabs by those who, under the auspices of supporting green, try to extend their capital accumulation through unfair means which foster dispossessions as well as social and ecological marginalisation”.
But this is set to change. “We’ve been handed the colossal opportunity to embark upon a new journey to pave a new, more sustainable future,” he said. “At Trinity, we’ve taken three steps to address this.”
These are:
“So my call to owners and stewards of natural capital is to take control, join us on an authentic, globally credible and purposeful journey that radically transforms our prospects beyond what we may deem possible.”
Carbon trading and the treatment of natural capital have been high on the agenda at the Oxford Farming Conference. Speakers and delegates have highlighted potential risks associated with seeking to benefit from new markets now coming online. But there’s a call for farmers and land managers to take control of a new income stream worth an estimated £1.7 billion.
“While caution may be prudent, don’t let this paralyse you into inactivity,” noted Richard Williamson, Senior Managing Director of Trinity AgTech, which hosted a fringe session entitled How to capture the value from natural capital on Wednesday, 5 January, attended by over 250 online delegates.
“Don’t give away your natural assets in what may turn out to be a poor deal. But do give yourself the right to choose how they are managed and how you can benefit. The first step is to take control of what you have – measure it so that you are in a position to make an informed choice, whatever your preference or however you wish to benefit.”
Sandy by Trinity AgTech is already recognised across the industry as the leading carbon calculator for all who manage the land. Uniquely, it also assesses a farm’s biodiversity, water stewardship and agroforestry. “One of the first steps to take is to accurately measure your baseline. Sandy applies the latest science and technology to ensure a result that meets all the recognised standards and one in which you can have complete confidence,” added Richard.
Once you have these measurements, Sandy provides scenarios to improve the farm's performance, whether that’s to enhance the value of the farm's produce, comply with retailer's demands or to generate carbon credits. “They’re also dynamic, helping you adjust your plan to changing financial and market conditions.”
Trinity Natural Capital Markets opens for commercial trading on 11 January, noted Senior Manager for NCM Louisa Knocker, who encourages farmers to get involved and explore the new income streams. “There’s a very broad spread of options available through NCM – it’s been designed to cater for all buyers and sellers of natural capital solutions, whatever your attitude to risk,” she said.
Designed to maximise the growth of natural capital and its associated financial gains, Trinity NCM model contracts are underpinned by robust legal and contractual undertakings. They’re also aligned with the Core Carbon Principles established by the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets. “But they’re not prescriptive – the farmer remains in control of how they manage their natural capital and what they choose to do with their carbon credits and biodiversity co-benefits,” added Louisa.
Trinity Founder and Executive Chairman Dr Hosein Khajeh-Hosseiny noted that although about 52% of the world’s annual income of around $94 trillion was reliant on natural capital, less than 2% of this currently comes to its owners and stewards. This has led to inequity, economic marginalisation and environmental decline.
“When there’s inadequate financial appreciation of natural capital, powerful companies and institutions create an aristocracy of their own, and we end up with green washing and inequity.”
Hosein stressed the need to safeguard against “green grabs by those who, under the auspices of supporting green, try to extend their capital accumulation through unfair means which foster dispossessions as well as social and ecological marginalisation”.
But this is set to change. “We’ve been handed the colossal opportunity to embark upon a new journey to pave a new, more sustainable future,” he said. “At Trinity, we’ve taken three steps to address this.”
These are:
- To recognise there are diverse opinions and preferences, and respect the different ways through which people ascribe value, meaning and importance to different forms of natural capital – not one market, but many.
- To focus on fair, efficient and virtuous outcomes where transparency, clarity, collaboration, insight and foresight are advanced. This addresses green-washing and safeguards against “green grabs”.
- To provide and use globally credible, independent and authoritative tools and platforms that embody these principles.
“So my call to owners and stewards of natural capital is to take control, join us on an authentic, globally credible and purposeful journey that radically transforms our prospects beyond what we may deem possible.”
