The inclusion of a carbon sink offset in a future COP agreement will depend on the ability of countries to demonstrate their ability to measure, in a reliable, transparent and verifiable manner, the changes in carbon stocks associated with those land-use activities and practices.
The National Sinks Table developed terms of reference for the Measurement of Verifiable Changes in C Stocks in Agricultural Soils, which provide a concise description of measurement and monitoring requirements for soil sinks:
Objectives:
Define the measurement needs to measure carbon stocks and flows from the soils of agricultural landscapes.
Identify and assess the various options for measurement, monitoring and verification of changes in carbon stocks in the soils of agricultural landscapes.