5. Reliance on afforestation to offset carbon emissions
Risk Title and Description
Land Use Change to offset emissions.
Service: Net Zero & Business
Date identified: 15 June 2022
Owner: Net Zero Project Manager
Target implementation date: 2030
Potential Causes:
- Additional planting of trees causes land use change, removing play areas and other valued land uses
- Impact of Ash die back on existing tree canopy decreasing carbon stored in ECC trees
Potential Impacts:
- High expenditure from afforestation
- Planting trees isn’t reducing emissions, therefore masks existing emissions
Existing Mitigations & Control
What has been done to control the risk?
- GHG emission savings vary depending on planting of different biomass
- Native trees planted
Further Mitigations & Controls to be put into place
- Separate study required to establish benefits, cost and land use to produce effective valley parks and other public green space owned by ECC
Risk scores
| Risk | Score |
| Likelihood | 3 |
| Impact | 3 |
| Risk score | 9 |
| Risk | Score |
| Likelihood | 2 |
| Impact | 2 |
| Risk score | 4 |