Offsetting CO2 Emissions Tree Planting on the Prairies

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development evaluates the feasibility of tree planting in the Canadian prairie ecozone as a method to offset carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. It reviews international policies from the European Union, the United States, and Canada, while analyzing the environmental, economic, and social benefits of afforestation alongside the direct and opportunity costs involved.

• Canada's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were estimated at 577 megatonnes (Mt) of CO2 equivalent, with forecasts suggesting a rise to 645 Mt by the year 2000, approximately 13% higher than 1990 levels.
• In 1990, CO2 was the primary greenhouse gas emitted in Canada, representing 87% (460Mt) of total emissions. Ontario (32%) and Alberta (27%) were the largest provincial contributors.
• Tree planting is considered a viable but limited solution for carbon sequestration because trees only absorb carbon while they are growing. The OECD provides a conservative average sequestration rate of 2 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year for temperate tree plantations.
• The cost of planting trees to fix carbon in Saskatchewan is estimated to range between $9.14 and $37.04 per tonne of carbon, depending on the soil type and forest/tree variety.
• Beyond carbon sequestration, trees provide significant economic benefits through energy savings. Urban trees can reduce cooling costs by 10-43%, and shelterbelts in Saskatchewan have been found to reduce heat loss by 17.5-25%.
• The report identifies three primary methods for combating rising CO2 levels: the substitution of lower carbon energy sources, the reduction of activities causing emissions, and the sequestration of CO2.
• Canada's National Action Program on Climate Change (NAPCC) utilizes the Climate Change Voluntary Challenge and Registry Program (VCR), which encourages organizations to voluntarily reduce net GHG emissions through offsets, energy efficiency, and fuel switching.
• The use of trees for biomass energy or ethanol production is currently limited by high costs and technology. Wood-based ethanol production is estimated to cost between 26¢ and 70¢ (CD$) per litre.
• Establishing a global carbon credit market is complicated by high transaction costs, legal uncertainties, and the difficulty of accurately measuring how much carbon is fixed by trees.
• Agricultural practices on the prairies can also sequester carbon; it is estimated that changing farming practices could reduce GHG emissions by 14 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by the year 2000 relative to 1990.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Offsetting CO2 Emissions Tree Planting on the Prairies. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/offsetting_climate.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Offsetting CO2 Emissions Tree Planting on the Prairies. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/offsetting_climate.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Offsetting CO2 Emissions Tree Planting on the Prairies |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/offsetting_climate.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndoffsetting, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Offsetting CO2 Emissions Tree Planting on the Prairies}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/offsetting_climate.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }