Negative emissions from stopping deforestation and forest degradation, globally

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Forestry
• Climate Change Mitigation

Background:

• Forests play a crucial role in carbon sequestration, offering a natural pathway for negative emissions.
• The global potential of forest regrowth for climate change mitigation remains uncertain.
• Existing carbon sinks in recovering forests are partially offset by emissions from long-lived wood products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the potential negative emissions from secondary forest recovery globally.
• To assess the impact of current and improved forest management practices on carbon sequestration.
• To estimate the total carbon sequestration potential by 2100.

Main Methods:

• Utilized land-use data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• Employed a bookkeeping model to calculate carbon sequestration in recovering forests.
• Accounted for both gross carbon sinks and committed emissions from wood products.

Main Results:

• Identified a current gross carbon sink of -4.4 PgC/year in recovering forests.
• Estimated cumulative negative emissions of approximately 120 PgC by 2100 from stopping deforestation and promoting forest growth.
• Projected an additional 10 PgC potential by extending the lifespan of wood products, totaling 130 PgC.

Conclusions:

• Stopping deforestation and fostering secondary forest regrowth can yield substantial negative emissions.
• Enhancing carbon sequestration requires expanding forest area and improving wood product lifecycles.
• Significant changes in current management practices are necessary to maximize forest-based climate change mitigation.