On July 21, 2025, the British Columbia Ministry of Forests formally approved this new methodology. This decision is an important step forward in improving its forest carbon accounting practices. The initiative was approved by Shane Berg, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Forester. Specifically, it addresses the decades-old issues of how to best measure the carbon stored in the province’s forests. This new guidance is a direct result of an investigation by the Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia. The probe found damning deficiencies in the province’s previous attempts to go back to square one.
Instead of the previous carbon accounting formula and methodology, the new model relies on a carbon budget approach. It has in it carbon stocks, density and NETEC (net ecosystem carbon balance). This far-reaching framework aims to bolster the province’s capacity to pro-actively track and maintain forest carbon stocks. These changes come at an unconscionably late, but very crucial moment. British Columbia has spent years fumbling to create a credible forest carbon standard, robbing itself of any real power to join the climate change fight.
Background of Forest Carbon Standards
The B.C. government had been under fire for years for its poor record in controlling emissions from forest carbon. An auditor general investigation released this March 2025 revealed that the province simply hasn’t been transparent about how it calculates forest carbon. Together, these findings paint a picture of a drastically changed B.C. forestry sector since 2004. It has gone from being a carbon sink to now being a net negative contributor to carbon emissions. In 2018, the sector was responsible for more than 50% of the province’s annual recorded emissions.
Gary Bull, professor emeritus of forestry at the University of British Columbia, called it “serious malpractice.” He asked what the provincial government’s long-term plan for managing carbon would be. Most critically, he called out prior attempts for failing. He, too, focused on the idea that the international marketplace is simply outpacing B.C.’s plan as it stands today.
“I think the international marketplace is moving beyond us. We’ve been at it for 20 years or more. It’s suboptimal.” – Gary Bull
Objectives of the New Carbon Guidance
The newly approved guidance is a step toward improving transparency and accountability in carbon accounting for British Columbia’s forests. Its principal aim is to increase the reliability of these carbon estimates. The B.C. Ministry of Forests hopes to apply this new, deeper methodology in a much larger effort. Their mission is to reforest the earth, reverse climate change, and restore functional ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the program has averaged about $95 million per year. This infusion of funding underscores the Deep Biden Administration commitment to addressing environmental justice issues associated with harmful forestry practices. This new guidance should make it much easier to assess whether carbon credits are worth the money. We’re seeing how this improvement translates into more good environmental outcomes.
Bull urged the inclusion of carbon factors into financial conversations surrounding forestry. Through this intentional integration, he noted that we need to rethink how all of our forest management strategies are applied.
“Carbon is now part of the narrative and part of the financing.” – Gary Bull
Future Implications and Expectations
Looking to the future, the B.C. government expects to finalize a “clear and approved methodology” for forest carbon credits by the end of this year. This progress is crucial for aligning British Columbia’s forestry sector with global standards for carbon management and ensuring that it contributes positively to climate change mitigation efforts.
The new guidance marks an important turning point in how British Columbia will make decisions based on forest carbon accounting. By using a stronger, more transparent and reproducible methodology, the US government hopes to re-establish its credibility at home and abroad.
Forests worldwide sequester an astonishing 7.6 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. To put it plainly, this proves how greatly we need innovative carbon management to protect our environment. British Columbia is in the midst of a historic shift in how it manages its forests. Stakeholders are cautiously optimistic, but only because they know that real changes in practices take time.
Berg’s approval of this new guidance represents a tremendous step towards the federal government’s support of more sustainable, forestry practices. It tries to fix past failings in carbon accounting. These measures don’t go far enough but they are a meaningful step. They begin to restore public confidence in B.C.’s ability to sustainably manage its forests.
