By GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre
November 18, 2023
The COP28 climate conference will highlight the function of forests as significant carbon sinks, with a research study exposing their potential to absorb up to 226 gigatons of carbon. The research, incorporating satellite and ground information, provides a more precise understanding of forest carbon storage, emphasizing GFZs function in global carbon stocktaking.
After soils and oceans, forests are the largest “sinks” for carbon, i.e. they absorb an enormous amount of carbon dioxide from the environment. According to the research study, forests could preferably take in 328 billion lots (gigatons, Gt for brief) of carbon. Our strong tracking facilities make us a exceptional and globally visible partner for such crucial international analyses on essential concerns such as how we can best assess and manage our carbon stocks in terms of environment and sustainability.”
The COP28 climate conference will highlight the role of forests as major carbon sinks, with a study revealing their potential to take in approximately 226 gigatons of carbon. Regardless of this, forests are threatened by deforestation and international warming. The research, incorporating satellite and ground data, offers a more accurate understanding of forest carbon storage, emphasizing GFZs function in international carbon stocktaking.
Large international study integrates satellite and ground information.
Natural carbon tanks will play a major function at the COP28 world climate conference in the United Arab Emirates. After oceans and soils, forests are the largest “sinks” for carbon, i.e. they soak up a huge quantity of co2 from the atmosphere. Precisely just how much this is and how much more it might be with much better forest management is a difficult concern.
In a current study published in the clinical journal Nature, a group of more than 2 hundred scientists worldwide presents new estimates of the storage potential. The study was collaborated by ETH Zurich, crucial methodological contributions originated from GFZ.
Forest Carbon Storage Potential
According to the study, forests could preferably soak up 328 billion loads (gigatons, Gt for brief) of carbon. As numerous previously forested locations are now used for farming and as settlement locations, the potential is minimized to 226 Gt. 139 Gt of this (61%) might be attained by securing existing forests alone. The staying 87 Gt (39%) could be realized by reconnecting previously fragmented forest landscapes and managing them sustainably.
Martin Herold heads the GFZ area Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics. He states: “Our strong monitoring facilities make us a worldwide noticeable and exceptional partner for such important international analyses on essential issues such as how we can best examine and handle our carbon stocks in terms of environment and sustainability.” Credit: GFZ
Challenges Facing Forests
Previous studies, which relied greatly on analytical examinations and projections, had actually gotten to outcomes of a similar order of magnitude. As a contrast, the storage potential of 226 Gt is offset by annual emissions of just under 11 Gt of carbon (comparable to 40 Gt of carbon dioxide).
Rather of safeguarding forests and handling them sustainably, logging is continuing worldwide. Added to this is the almost unabated emission of greenhouse gases, which is speeding up worldwide warming and thus putting forests under even more pressure.
Improvements in Methodology
To arrive at their outcomes, the scientists connected satellite information with studies of forest condition and biomass taken from the ground. They also integrated information on carbon storage in forest soils with dead wood and litter.
” The brand-new paper is based on far better data and in this sense uses a much better metrology of the prospective than previous work,” states Martin Herold, among the co-authors of the study and head of the GFZ Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics Section. He highlights how important it is to “systematically integrate satellite and ground-based carbon measurements, which opens up new ways of understanding global carbon stocks and potentials.”
GFZs Role in Global Carbon Stocktaking
The space-based biomass analysis comes from primarily from GFZ, although GFZ has likewise contributed with soil information as part of an international network. Martin Herold: “The GFZ has invested greatly in such integrated surveys in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Our strong monitoring facilities make us a worldwide visible and outstanding partner for such essential worldwide analyses on key problems such as how we can best evaluate and manage our carbon stocks in terms of environment and sustainability.”
Behind this are also tactical concerns for the GFZ: How can we best monitor and quantify changes on our dynamic planet? How can we improve our understanding of georesources and use them sustainably?
Recommendation: “Integrated international assessment of the natural forest carbon potential” by Lidong Mo, Constantin M. Zohner, Peter B. Reich, Jingjing Liang, Sergio de Miguel, Gert-Jan Nabuurs, Susanne S. Renner, Johan van den Hoogen, Arnan Araza, Martin Herold, Leila Mirzagholi, Haozhi Ma, Colin Averill, Oliver L. Phillips, Javier G. P. Gamarra, Iris Hordijk, Devin Routh, Meinrad Abegg, Yves C. Adou Yao, Giorgio Alberti, Angelica M. Almeyda Zambrano, Braulio Vilchez Alvarado, Esteban Alvarez-Dávila, Patricia Alvarez-Loayza, Luciana F. Alves, Iêda Amaral, Christian Ammer, Clara Antón-Fernández, Alejandro Araujo-Murakami, Luzmila Arroyo, Valerio Avitabile, Gerardo A. Aymard, Timothy R. Baker, Radomir Bałazy, Olaf Banki, Jorcely G. Barroso, Meredith L. Bastian, Jean-Francois Bastin, Luca Birigazzi, Philippe Birnbaum, Robert Bitariho, Pascal Boeckx, Frans Bongers, Olivier Bouriaud, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Susanne Brandl, Francis Q. Brearley, Roel Brienen, Eben N. Broadbent, Helge Bruelheide, Filippo Bussotti, Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Ricardo G. César, Goran Cesljar, Robin L. Chazdon, Han Y. H. Chen, Chelsea Chisholm, Hyunkook Cho, Emil Cienciala, Connie Clark, David Clark, Gabriel D. Colletta, David A. Coomes, Fernando Cornejo Valverde, José J. Corral-Rivas, Philip M. Crim, Jonathan R. Cumming, Selvadurai Dayanandan, André L. de Gasper, Mathieu Decuyper, Géraldine Derroire, Ben DeVries, Ilija Djordjevic, Jiri Dolezal, Aurélie Dourdain, Nestor Laurier Engone Obiang, Brian J. Enquist, Teresa J. Eyre, Adandé Belarmain Fandohan, Tom M. Fayle, Ted R. Feldpausch, Leandro V. Ferreira, Leena Finér, Markus Fischer, Christine Fletcher, Lorenzo Frizzera, Damiano Gianelle, Henry B. Glick, David J. Harris, Andrew Hector, Andreas Hemp, Geerten Hengeveld, Bruno Hérault, John L. Herbohn, Annika Hillers, Eurídice N. Honorio Coronado, Cang Hui, Thomas Ibanez, Nobuo Imai, Andrzej M. Jagodziński, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, Vivian Kvist Johannsen, Carlos A. Joly, Tommaso Jucker, Ilbin Jung, Viktor Karminov, Kuswata Kartawinata, Elizabeth Kearsley, David Kenfack, Deborah K. Kennard, Sebastian Kepfer-Rojas, Gunnar Keppel, Mohammed Latif Khan, … Rodolfo M. Vasquez, Hans Verbeeck, Helder Viana, Alexander C. Vibrans, Simone Vieira, Klaus von Gadow, Hua-Feng Wang, James V. Watson, Gijsbert D. A. Werner, Susan K. Wiser, Florian Wittmann, Hannsjoerg Woell, Verginia Wortel, Roderik Zagt, Tomasz Zawiła-Niedźwiecki, Chunyu Zhang, Xiuhai Zhao, Mo Zhou, Zhi-Xin Zhu, Irie C. Zo-Bi, George D. Gann and Thomas W. Crowther, 13 November 2023, Nature.DOI: 10.1038/ s41586-023-06723-z.
