Alberta Call for Protocols

IF YOU ARE DEVELOPING A PROTOCOL FOR THE ALBERTA OFFSET SYSTEM THAT WILL BE IN COMPLETE DRAFT FORM BY THE 2010 CALL FOR PROTOCOLS DEADLINE – CONTACT CLIMATE CHANGE CENTRAL AT contact@climatechangecentral.com FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON 2010 PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. 

Alberta Environment is providing a new Alberta Offset System Quantification Protocol format template for all protocol developers to use when developing a draft protocol. ALL protocols being submitted must use this format or the protocol will not be eligible to move forward in the review process.

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW ALBERTA PROTOCOL FORMAT TEMPLATE

The credibility of a protocol development process is vital to the long-term viability of an Offset system. Alberta's development process is based on the ISO 14064-2: Specification with Guidance at the Project Level for Quantification, Monitoring And Reporting Of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions or Removal Enhancements standard that includes expert engagement, defensible scientific methodologies, a rigorous peer review process, and documented transparency.  These principles ensure a robust Offset system that delivers real, quantifiable, and verifiable greenhouse gas reductions.

In order to submit draft protocols to the Alberta Government for consideration, protocols must be completed up to Step 7 of the Alberta Protocol Development Process - which requires Protocol Developers to complete the first round of Technical Review with incorporation of revisions stemming from that review and obtain no sustained objection to move forward.

Alberta Environment AND Climate Change Central must be invited to participate in 1st Rounds of Review to ensure there is no sustained objection and full transparency for the protocol to move forward.

The deadline for submission of first-round technically-reviewed draft protocols for the Alberta Offset System is on or before Friday, October 1, 2010.

When submitting first-round technically-reviewed draft protocols, the Protocol Developer(s) must also submit all accompanying information such as:

1. Protocol development and review committee members;
2. Review minutes and any revised version of the protocol(s), and clarity surrounding the how the consensus requirement of 'no sustained objection' was achieved; and
3. Any Technical Seed Document (Technical Background Documents) and Technical Protocol Plan (if not submitted previously).

All documentation is to be submitted to Alberta Environment and Climate Change Central at:

Alberta Environment
Climate Change Secretariat
12th Floor, 10025 – 106 Street
Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 1G4
E-mail: AENV.GHG@gov.ab.ca

and

Climate Change Central
Protocol Development
Suite 930, 10303 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 3N6
Email: protocolcomments@climatechangecentral.com

All signed documentation must be submitted in the following formats:

• Electronic format using Microsoft Office programming – by email to addresses indicated above (or on compact disc with hard copy materials),
  AND

• Mailing package of all requested documentation (signed hard copies) to mailing addresses shown above.

Alberta Environment will review the draft protocol submission and all associated documentation.  For transparency purposes, this documentation will be posted under the ALBERTA PROTOCOL REVIEW PROCESS section of this website.  Please refer to the Alberta Guide for Protocol Developers to review a complete listing of information and requirements on all steps in the protocol development process.

Climate Change Central, will coordinate a structured consultation process bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders involved in the carbon value chain to review submitted draft quantification protocols (Step 8 in the Protocol Development process).

We anticipate this Broader Stakeholder Review to take place at the beginning of November 2010.

*The Alberta Government offers no guarantee of final approval dates for the Quantification Protocols as the entire process is dependent on the review outcomes.

All documentation is to be submitted to Alberta Environment and Climate Change Central.