Image generated by DALL-E, an artificial intelligence.

New research published in the journal Global Change Biology raises alarming questions about the efficacy of forest carbon programs registered in California’s cap-and-trade program. Utilizing satellite imagery, particularly of forests in Northwest California, researchers have compared the carbon sequestered by forests versus what is claimed and have emerged with a concerning conclusion: forests registered in the offset program are overcounting the carbon that they are paid to protect.

Researcher Shane Coffield joins Gang Green to discuss his findings and the implications of his research on California’s carbon emission reduction strategy.