Mitigation
The potential to use
protected areas in
carbon storage and
capture
The challenge
• Vegetation loss is already responsible
for around 20% of global greenhouse
gas emissions
…and furthermore…
• Many ecosystems that are currently
sinks for CO2 could soon “flip” and
become net sources due to climate
change and other human impacts
The opportunity
Natural ecosystems offer two key functions
• Storing existing carbon in vegetation and
soils and thus preventing further loss
• Capturing additional carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere and thus reducing net
greenhouse gas levels
The opportunity
Protected areas offer a management tool
• Existing borders, legislation and
governance
• Supportive national and international
policies
• Based on the idea of permanence
• Staff and management capacity
• Existing funding mechanisms
Carbon storage
Major carbon stores exist in
soil, forest, peat and inland
waters, grassland, mangroves,
coastal marshes and sea grass
Estimates for the amount of
carbon stored in tropical
forests range from 170-250
tonnes carbon/hectare
Carbon storage
Temperate and boreal forests
are also major sinks – the
highest known carbon storage
is in a Eucalyptus forest
Lemmenjoki National Park, Finland, inset Australia
Carbon storage
Peat is probably a larger store
– an estimated 550 Gt stored
globally. But 2008 emissions
from degraded peat were
estimated at 1,298 Mt, plus
over 400 Mt from peat fires
Carbon storage
Mangroves, sea grass beds
and salt marshes all store
substantial amounts of
carbon although these
sources have been largely
ignored until now
Carbon storage
Grasslands may hold more
than 10% of the total carbon
in the biosphere, but
mismanagement and
conversion is causing major
losses in places – grassland
remains one of the most unprotected biomes
Carbon storage
Estimates of soil carbon vary
widely but it is thought to be
the largest terrestrial store.
Agriculture is often a source
rather than sink but changes
in farming (less tillage, more
organic methods etc) can
reverse this and help to build
carbon stocks
Carbon capture
Most ecosystems can also
continue to capture carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere
Carbon capture
Both young and old forests
capture significant amounts of
carbon dioxide, as do
peatlands, grasslands and
many marine ecosystems
Recent research in the
Amazon, Congo Basin and in
boreal forests all show that
old-growth forests continue to
sequester carbon
Carbon capture
The success of
sequestration from
commercial forests
depends on what the
timber is used for…
Carbon capture
Knowledge of
management needs for
carbon sequestration in
other habitats is also
increasing fast
Carbon storage
and capture
There is a huge potential to
protect natural ecosystems to
help store and capture
carbon – and to supply many
other important goods and
services
Carbon storage
and capture
But on the other hand,
many ecosystems risk
switching from being sinks
to sources of carbon due to
degradation and climate
change…
Carbon storage
and capture
Protected areas are the
most effective tool yet
found for maintaining
carbon in natural
vegetation
Carbon storage
and capture
The UNEP World
Conservation Monitoring
Centre estimates that 15%
of terrestrial carbon is
stored in protected areas
Implications
New skills, tools and
funding opportunities will
be needed to make best
use of available
management options
Implications
Gap analysis may need to
start including carbon
Implications
New staff skills will be
required
Implications
REDD…