SHELL yesterday announced a range of new carbon offset plans from forest planting to expanded carbon credits and ways users can offset their own emissions via purchase of its high octane fuel Shell V-Power as part of its drive to reduce emissions by 2%-3% in the next three years. 

For Australia that means an 800 hectare reforestation project in Queensland and internationally it will partner with independent Dutch state forestry service Staatsbosbeheer to plant over five million trees in the next 12 years.  

The forester will plant new trees after ash trees were affected by what it calls "an aggressive fungal disease" in the Netherlands.  

Shell has also signed on with Land Life for a 300 hectare reforestation project in Spain, with 300,000 trees to be planted in the Castilla y Leon region by the end of 2019.  

"Combined with a technology-driven approach, reforestation can now be achieved and optimised at scale, maximising the impact of this investment," Land Life  CEO Jurriaan Ruys said.  

It is also expanding carbon offset opportunities for businesses to purchase a wide variety of carbon credits to offset CO2 from their vehicle fleets.  

Shell said it buys these from "a global portfolio of nature-based projects, including Cordillera Azul National Park Project in Peru, Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project in Indonesia and GreenTrees Reforestation Project in the US".  

Each credit is third-party verified and is worth 1 tonne of CO2. 

Source: Energy News Bulletin

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