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Setting priorities for land management to mitigate climate change
Hannes Böttcher1, Annette Freibauer, Yvonne Scholz
1International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Ecosystem Services and Management Program, Schlossplatz 1, Laxenburg 2361, Austria. bottcher@iiasa.ac.at.
Carbon Balance and Management
|March 20, 2012
Summary
Prioritizing land use for climate mitigation requires evaluating economic viability and carbon sequestration. Traditional timber production is most climate-friendly and economically viable, while intensified bioenergy production is not.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Forestry Science
- Climate Science
Background:
- Measuring land-use sector climate mitigation effectiveness remains challenging.
- Prioritizing land use for climate mitigation requires robust evaluation criteria.
- Solid biomass for energy production is a key focus for land-use mitigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate land management options for climate change mitigation and economic returns.
- To compare the effectiveness of different land-use strategies using real-life data.
- To assess the role of solid biomass in climate mitigation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized long-term cumulative and average sectorial carbon (C) stocks.
- Incorporated C stock changes, fossil energy substitution, and net present value (NPV).
- Applied life cycle assessment and a carbon-tracking model to Thuringia's land management options.
Main Results:
- Traditional forestry timber production is most economically viable and climate-friendly, assuming 80% product recycling for bioenergy.
- Intensifying forestry for pure bioenergy reduces carbon stocks and NPV.
- Forest conservation increases C stocks by 52% compared to timber production.
- Among cropland options, short rotation coppice for bioenergy is most climate-friendly but requires incentives.
Conclusions:
- No climate benefit supports intensifying forestry from timber to energy-wood if products are used as materials first.
- A legal framework is needed to prioritize raw material use over energy use for harvested products.
- Effective biomaterial recycling and reuse cascades are crucial for sustained carbon sequestration and avoiding emissions.
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