Carbon carrying capacity in primary forests shows potential for mitigation achieving the European Green Deal 2030 target

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00027073%3A_____%2F24%3AN0000046" target="_blank" >RIV/00027073:_____/24:N0000046 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01416-5" target="_blank" >https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01416-5</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01416-5" target="_blank" >10.1038/s43247-024-01416-5</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Carbon carrying capacity in primary forests shows potential for mitigation achieving the European Green Deal 2030 target

Original language description

Carbon accounting in the land sector requires a reference level from which to calculate past losses of carbon and potential for gains using a stock-based target. Carbon carrying capacity represented by the carbon stock in primary forests is an ecologically-based reference level that allows estimation of the mitigation potential derived from protecting and restoring forests to increase their carbon stocks. Here we measured and collated tree inventory data at primary forest sites including from research studies, literature and forest inventories (7982 sites, 288,262 trees, 27 countries) across boreal, temperate, and subtropical Global Ecological Zones within Europe. We calculated total biomass carbon stock per hectare (above- and below-ground, dead biomass) and found it was 1.6 times larger on average than modelled global maps for primary forests and 2.3 times for all forests. Large trees (diameter greater than 60 cm) accounted for 50% of biomass and are important carbon reservoirs. Carbon stock foregone by harvesting of 12-52% demonstrated the mitigation potential. Estimated carbon gain by protecting, restoring and ongoing growth of existing forests equated to 309 megatons carbon dioxide equivalents per year, additional to, and higher than, the current forest sink, and comparable to the Green Deal 2030 target for carbon dioxide removals. The protection, restoration and continued growth of existing European forests can help remove around 309 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, in line with the Green Deal 2030 target, according to a meta-analysis of carbon stocks from aboveground, belowground, and dead biomass.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10618 - Ecology

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA24-11119S" target="_blank" >GA24-11119S: A global model of treethrow forms and the role of tree mortality in carbon storage</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT

ISSN

—

e-ISSN

2662-4435

Volume of the periodical

5

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

13

Pages from-to

256

UT code for WoS article

001222601000001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85193387287