Carbon storage through China's planted forest expansion.

Area of Science:

• Forestry Science
• Climate Change Mitigation
• Carbon Sequestration

Background:

• China's planted forests are critical for carbon storage and climate mitigation.
• Previous studies lacked detailed spatiotemporal analysis of planted forest area and carbon dynamics.
• Understanding these dynamics is crucial for effective climate policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify changes in China's planted forest area from 1990 to 2020.
• To assess the corresponding changes in carbon storage within these forests.
• To determine the contribution of area expansion versus growth to carbon storage increase.

Main Methods:

• Utilized satellite imagery and field data for comprehensive analysis.
• Employed spatiotemporal analysis to track changes over three decades.
• Quantified carbon storage using established methodologies.

Main Results:

• China's planted forest area doubled between 1990 and 2020, with accelerated growth post-2000.
• Planted forest carbon storage increased significantly, from 675.6 ± 12.5 Tg C in 1990 to 1,873.1 ± 16.2 Tg C in 2020.
• Area expansion accounted for approximately 53% of the total increase in carbon storage.

Conclusions:

• Policy-driven expansion of planted forests has substantially increased carbon storage.
• These findings support China's commitment to its 2060 Carbon Neutrality Target.
• Planted forests represent a significant and growing carbon sink in China.