Evaluation of carbon dioxide absorbed in Para rubber biomass to the valuation of the contracts on carbon credits in voluntary markets.

摘要

Prospective imbalances between supply and demand have been indicated in the rubber market resulting in a continuous plunge in rubber prices. At its lowest average price in 2014, rubber prices dropped 54.84% from their 2011 high due to the direct impact of the costs of rubber planters, especially in new areas of para rubber plantations such as Huai Thalaeng District in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. There is the possibility of offsetting these low prices by evaluation of carbon dioxide absorbed in the production of para rubber to the valuation of the contracts on carbon credits in voluntary markets. Carbon storage in para rubber biomass was assessed in allometric equations of biomass to determine the carbon dioxide that was absorbed from the atmosphere. The results of the study found that in the seven years prior to latex tapping, rubber plantations had average biomass accumulations of 0.027, 0.200, 0.641, 1.454, 3.343, 8.078 and 15.213 Mg ha-1 respectively. This translates to an average biomass carbon storage of 0.014, 0.099, 0.321, 0.727, 1.671, 4.039 and 7.607 Mg ha-1, respectively. Furthermore, the carbon dioxide was absorbed from the atmosphere at levels of 0.051, 0.363, 1.177, 2.666, 6.127, 14.810 and 27.892 Mg ha-1, respectively, during these seven years. Subsequently, the net income from contracts equals US$578.637 ha-1 from the carbon dioxide absorbed from the atmosphere in the case of trading for carbon credits in the voluntary market. Additionally, rubber trees are an essential tree species that absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it in its biomass. With this, rubber plantations can act as carbon sinks. Therefore, Thailand and especially Huai Thalaeng, has potential for rubber plantations and mitigated greenhouse gases in the atmosphere through carbon trapping by rubber plantations.