Estimation of carbon storage of forest biomass for voluntary carbon markets:preliminary results

摘要

Estimating the carbon storage of forests is essential to support climate change mitigation and promote the transition into a low-carbon emission economy.To achieve this goal,voluntary carbon markets(VCMs)are essential.VCMs are promoted by a spontaneous demand,not imposed by binding targets,as the regulated ones.In Italy,only in Veneto and Piedmont Regions(Northern Italy),VCMs through forestry activities were carried out.Valle Camonica District(Northern Italy,Lombardy Region)is ready for a local VCM,but carbon storage of its forests was never estimated.The aim of this work was to estimate the total carbon storage(TCS;t C ha^−1)of forest biomass of Valle Camonica District,at the stand level,taking into account:(1)aboveground biomass,(2)belowground biomass,(3)deadwood,and(4)litter.We developed a user-friendly model,based on site-specifi c primary(measured)data,and we applied it to a dataset of 2019 stands extracted from 45 Forest Management Plans.Preliminary results showed that,in 2016,the TCS achieved 76.02 t C ha^−1.The aboveground biomass was the most relevant carbon pool(48.86 t C ha^−1;64.27%of TCS).From 2017 to 2029,through multifunctional forest management,the TCS could increase of 2.48 t C ha^−1(+3.26%).In the same period,assuming to convert coppices stands to high forests,an additional TCS of 0.78 t C ha^−1(equal to 2.85 t CO 2 ha^−1)in the aboveground biomass could be achieved without increasing forest areas.The additional carbon could be certifi ed and exchanged on a VCM,contributing to climate change mitigation at a local level.