HCS vs HCS vs HCS?: Greenpeace led HCS Approach toolkit approved; Greenpeace promotes its HCS Approach as a "tested and leading methodology"

The HCS approach is getting rather contested and confusing as companies straddle different areas.  One is led by Greenpeace is the HCS Approach (apparently done largely by the NGO via pilot study with Golden Agri Resouces and possibly with a handful of other corporate sector players). Another (still ongoing) is via the Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto Group (SPOM) led by academics and think tankers. At the RSPO, the equivalent is the GHG emission reductions policy in its New Plantings Procedure (we're not sure who vetted the parameters in its calculator).


19 April 2015: Greenpeace led HCS Approach toolkit approved in April

Palm oil companies, NGOs endorse new deforestation-limiting toolkit by  Morgan Erickson-Davis April 06, 2015; Forests not only house many of the world's species, but also much of its carbon. Now, a toolkit has been developed by a group of companies and organizations with the aim of helping other companies and NGOs identify High Carbon Stock (HCS) forests. The toolkit was endorsed last week by major NGOs and plantation companies in Singapore.... http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0406-mrn-morgan-new-toolkit-tells-companies-where-they-should-not-clear.html#ixzz3XiaxE0ls
HCS Approach toolkit here: http://highcarbonstock.org/the-hcs-approach-toolkit/

12 December 2014: Greenpeace promotes HCS Approach as a "tested and leading methodology"

Jokowi's Call for Ecological Reform Reaches Palm Oil Firms; Jakarta Globe  - ‎Dec 9, 2014‎;  "Following last week's strong pro-peatlands and forests commitment by newly inaugurated President Joko Widodo, two of the world's largest palm oil producers and traders have announced policies to address the criticism of deforestation in their supply ...The High Carbon Stock Approach, (Greenpeace) the global environmental group argues, is a tested tool that identifies degraded areas suitable for plantation development and forest areas that merit protection to maintain and enhance carbon, biodiversity and social values.... It is being overseen and further refined by the multi-stakeholder High Carbon Stock Approach Steering Group, which involves international non-governmental organizations including Greenpeace as well as palm oil producers Cargill, Agropalma, Wilmar, New Britain Palm Oil, Daabon and Golden Agri Resources, and one of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies Asia Pulp & Paper (APP)...... Both Musim Mas and KLK are part of the Malaysia-based Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto (SPOM), an industry initiative that has commissioned further carbon study. In their new policies, the companies say they will adopt the outcomes of that study after 2015...."; http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jokowis-call-for-eco-reform-reaches-palm-oil-firms/