carbon capture technologies sciencedirect

Ecosia, for example, has planted over 100 million trees in more than 25 countries since its creation in 2009 8. Reforestation platforms are responsible for planting large numbers of trees. So-called reforestation platforms distribute funding between different reforestation/afforestation projects. However, the extent to which such projects can contribute to global GHG capture targets is debated 7 and it is important that claimed sequestration potentials are realistic. This year marks the beginning of the United Nation decade on ecosystem restoration where incentives will be put in place to restore degraded ecosystems, in part through reforestations 6. The number of tree planting projects globally has increased in the past decade 4, with the aim of both supporting livelihoods and sequestering carbon dioxide (CO 2) into long-term biomass 1, 5. Compared with other greenhouse gas (GHG) capture practices, it is cheap and easy to set up using established technology 3. Planting trees is an effective way to capture C 2. Further, we show that applications of biochar during reforestation can partially compensate for project emissions.Ĭarbon (C) sequestration programs are necessary to reach the UNFCCC Paris Agreement targets and limit the global average temperature increase to well below 2 ☌ 1. Our results show major errors in carbon accounting in reforestation projects if they (1) ignore the time needed for trees to reach their carbon capture potential (2) ignore the GHG emissions involved in setting up a plot (3) report the carbon capture potential per tree planted, thereby ignoring limitations at the forest ecosystem level or (4) under-estimate tree losses due to inevitable human and climatic disturbances. We compare our results with the carbon capture claims made by a reforestation platform.

In parallel, we combine a soil carbon model with an above- and below-ground plant carbon model to predict the increase in carbon stocks after planting. This study uses life cycle assessment to quantify the carbon footprint of setting up a reforestation plot in the Peruvian Amazon. Further, claims usually overlook the environmental costs of natural or anthropogenic disturbances during the forest’s lifetime, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the reforestation are not allowed for. In many cases funding is obtained through the claimed carbon capture of the trees, presented as immediate and durable, whereas reforested plots need time and maintenance to realise their carbon capture potential. The number of reforestation projects worldwide is increasing.

Carbon capture technologies sciencedirect