Developing Carbon Sequestration Forestry for Mitigating Climate Change: Practice and Management of Carbon Sequestration Forestry in China Nuyun Li Deputy Director of Afforestation Department, State Forestry Administration, P.R.China Executive Deputy Director of Climate Office, State Forestry Administration, P.R.China Abstract: The functions and effects of forestry in mitigating climate change have been elaborated in this paper. The concepts and significance of forest carbon sink, forestry carbon sequestration, and carbon sequestration forestry have been introduced, and the practices of carbon sequestration forestry in China have been summarized in this paper. The outline for management strengthening of carbon sequestration forestry has been proposed: implement the Climate Change Forestry Action Plan, reinforce measurement and monitoring of national forest carbon sink and the qualification management of measuring carbon sink projects, and carry out pilot researches for low carbon economic forestry, aiming to ensure the forestry efforts to mitigate climate change and contribute to combat the global warming. Introduction As the main body of terrestrial ecosystem, forest plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen through the photosynthesis. Forest functions in carbon sequestration by sinking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into vegetations and soils. The special function, together with forest protection and reduction of carbon emission created by deforestation and degradation, could play significant roles in stabilizing and reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere over a period of time. Forest, in its huge biomass, becomes the largest carbon pool in the terrestrial ecosystems. Evaluation report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicated that forest could be important solution in following 3 5 decades regarding the low cost and financially
feasibility to increase carbon sink and reduce carbon emissions with multi advantages and functions in both mitigation and adaption to climate changes. Therefore, as an indispensible topic among the Climate pact negotiations, forest solutions have been highlighted among various related international climate change negotiations and in the regulation of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto Protocol. Forest solutions are also important contents of the practices to mitigate climate change in China. Prime Minister Wen Jiabao points out that forest can be special to cope with climate change. Deputy Premier Hui Liangyu stressed the strategic solution of forest to cope with climate change. On September 22 2009 in the United Nations Leadership Forum on Climate Change, President Hu Jintao made declaration that one of four Chinese measurement solutions to deal with climate change is to vigorously increase forest carbon sink by increasing forest coverage by 40 million hectares and forest stock volume by 1.3 billion cubic meters by 2020 from the 2005 levels. Forestry was made as one content of the China`s promise to the world to cope with climate change. It also demonstrated the strategic status and function of forestry in mitigating climate change in China. Hence, actively developing carbon sequestration forestry is an effective solution to reduce greenhouse gas emission in China and commit to the promise made to the World.
I Concept of Carbon Sequestration Forestry 1 Concept of Carbon Sequestration According to UNFCCC, Carbon Sequestration is defined as any process, activity or mechanism which removes a greenhouse gas, an aerosol, or a precursor of a greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. In opposite, any process, activity or mechanism which releases a greenhouse gas, an aerosol or a precursor of a greenhouse gas or aerosol into the atmosphere is called carbon source. Relatively, the forest carbon sink, originating from natural science, refers to the process, activity and mechanism of forest ecosystem absorbing carbon dioxide by fixing it into vegetations and soils and reducing concentrations of carbon dioxide (Forest Carbon Sink of China, 2007, Chinese Forest Publishing House). Forestry carbon sink defines as the process, activities and mechanism related to carbon trade and the policy and management of activities which reduces carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by implementing afforestation and reforestation, managing forest and reducing deforestation (Forestry Carbon Sink of China, 2007, Chinese Forest Publishing House). It is a term in natural science and social science realm. International and domestic practices coping with climate change mainly devotes to two aspects, carbon dioxide reduction (source) and absorption (sink). Forestry turns to be focal point of carbon sequestration under the framework of Kyoto Protocol. The roles carbon sinks from afforestation, forest management and agriculture activities played in climate change mitigation have recognized according to provisions of Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) in Kyoto Protocol. However, only afforestation and reforestation programs can be listed in qualified carbon sink project of Clean Development Mechanism within the first commitment period. Countries in Attachment I could obtain carbon credits to counterbalance their domestic greenhouse gas emission through the afforestation and reforestation projects in the developing countries. Moreover, reduction offsets annually gained from the afforestation and reforestation projects under Clean Development Mechanism should not exceed 1% of emissions in
base year (1990). According to Kyoto Protocol, afforestation refers to the artificial afforestation activities in the non forest land in the past 50 years, and the reforestation means the artificial afforestation activities in the non forest land since January 1, 1990 within the first commitment period. 2. Concept of Carbon Sequestration Forestry Constructing modern forestry and developing forest featured products in mountainous area, ecotourism and forestry carbon sequestration forestry are enlisted in the CPC Central Committee and State Council Decision in 2009 on Promoting Stable Agricultural development and Continuously Increasing Income for Farmers. Carbon sequestration forestry is defined as forestry activities aiming at absorbing carbon dioxide, reducing carbon concentrations in the atmosphere and mitigating climate change relying on the carbon sink function of the forest. According to the requirements in Clean Development Mechanism Project and the regulations of International Forestry Carbon Sink Projects, carbon sequestration forestry should include five factors at least: 1) Adaptation to national social and economic sustainable development and national strategy for climate change mitigation; 2) Besides the increasing of carbon sequestration, the stability, adaptation and service function of forestry ecosystem should be strengthened. Meanwhile, forestry multiple effects, including promoting biodiversity, ecological conservation, and community development should be improved; 3) Raising the public awareness of the climate change mitigation efforts; 4) Establishing technical supporting system suitable to both international regulations and the realities in China; 5) Cultivating the forest ecological service market with the benefits from carbon trade through the market mechanism and legal systems.
II. Practice of Carbon Sequestration Forestry in China 1. China s Large scale Afforestation Projects Drawing Global Attention Carbon Sequestration Forestry seems unfamiliar to many people in China. Actually the Chinese government has made great efforts to restoration and protection of forest vegetations, which turns China to be top country in the fastest restoring vegetations, and largest artificial afforestation. In effect these are also the measurements of developing carbon sequestration forestry. According to the State of the World's Forests 2009 released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global forest resource tends to be declining while forest in Asia Pacific regions increased, which depends on the China s afforestation efforts. More than 3 million hectares net increase in forest area expanding annually in China fills up deficiency of higher deforestation in other regions. China s afforestation efforts and reforestation in a large scale not only increased forest areas and forest resource storages, but also absorbed large amounts of carbon dioxide. Experts estimated net carbon dioxide absorption of 4.68 billion tons reached by continuous afforestation and reforestation of China from 1980 to 2005, together with carbon dioxide emission reduction of 0.43 billion tons through the control of deforestation. The total amount is up to 5.11 billion tons by controlling deforestation and reducing carbon dioxide emission. In 2004, net absorption of carbon dioxide reached 0.5 billion in parallel with 8% of industry emissions. The experts broadly perceived it as a conservative estimation. According to research conducted by Fang Jingyun in Beijing University, the capacity of forest absorption carbon dioxide in unit area increased from 136.43 tons in 1980s to 150.47 tons in the first 21st century. In the period from 1981 to 2000, carbon sink through terrestrial vegetations in mainland China counteracted 14.6 16.1% of industry carbon emissions in the same period, making great contributions to global warm climate mitigation. 2 China s Implementation of CDM Forest Carbon Project In November 2006, Reforestation projects in Pearl River Watershed in Guangxi, China, has been approved by UN CDM Executive Board and became the world first forest carbon trade project registered under Kyoto Protocol regulations. In the mixed pattern, Masson, sweet gum, casta hopsis fissa, schima superba and eucalyptus has been planted, and large amount of carbon dioxide has been sequestrated in the project. It is agreed
that there will be delivery over 480,000 tons of carbon dioxide in 15 years equivalents at the price of US 4.35 dollars per ton purchased by the World Bank BioCarbon Fund. Meanwhile the project yielded other environmental benefits including biodiversity promotion by providing migration corridors and habitat areas for the wild flora and fauna species living in the natural protected area beside the project implemented plantations, and controlling the soil erosion in the project implemented area. It also attempts to provide social benefits for the local communities, including about 40 permanent and tens of thousand temporary employment opportunities and benefits for about 5000 households participated in the project through sales of timber products, non timber products and carbon credits. Furthermore, Carbon Management Office in the State Forestry Administration organized experts to conduct the research on the evaluation and priority region for CDM afforestation and reforestation carbon project in China (Key project of the State Forestry Administration, Second Award of Liangxi Scientific and Technological Progress in 2009). The research proposed indicator system and comprehensive evaluation method for priority region of CDM afforestation and reforestation carbon project, and comprehensive evaluation to potential forestry carbon project in different regions and priority regions in China. The evaluation supplied evidences for technical support and scientific decision making in forestry carbon project and could be valuable to regulate carbon afforestation and reduce project costs. 3 The Establishment of the China Green Carbon Fund Afforestation/reforestation, forest rehabilitation for climate change mitigation cannot simply rely on the effort made by the government. It is needed to establish a platform to increase forest vegetation, strengthen national ecology security, and assist enterprises voluntarily participating in combating for climate change at a lower cost. In July 2007, the China Green Carbon Fund (CGCF) was established by the State Forestry Administration of China, China National Petroleum Corporation, and China Green Foundation jointly. At present, the Fund received donations of RMB 0.3 billion, and has
implemented carbon afforestation of over 1 million hectares around more than 10 provinces with an estimation of 5 million to 10 million carbon dioxide sink in the next 10 years. Local farmers obtained jobs and increased incomes by conducting afforestation. Enterprises donated to the CGCF were recorded in social responsibility account and received the carbon credits. Information was all published in the China Carbon Trade website for the public. Moreover, many individuals vigorously participate in afforestation and carbon climate mitigation by donating to China Green Carbon Fund to purchase carbon credits to absorb daily carbon dioxide emissions. Joining Carbon Payment and reducing Carbon Footprint has become a famous slogan. All the donations would be calculated in carbon trade measurement, recorded in account of Carbon Credits and published on China Carbon trade website. Presently Individual donations established Badaling Afforestation Carbon Base and Middle School Attached to Beijing Construction Institution Science Popularization Forest.
III. Strengthen Management of Carbon Sequestration Forestry 1. Implementation of National Program and Exertion of Forestry Functions General objective, alleviation and adaptation, and other aspects of National Program on Climate Change Mitigation required enhancement of the maintenance and increase of forest ecosystem carbon trade though forest construction, which indicates the significance of forestry in climate change mitigation and higher requirements of Central Committee on the forestry development.. Therefore, it is effective solution for fastening afforestation and reforestation, expanding forest area, enhancing forest management, improving forest quality, protecting wetland and forestland, developing eco forest energy, safeguarding against forest fire, disease and insect injury and illegal forestland requisition, properly increasing wood utilization, and extending life span of wood utilization, to further explore forestry potentials, strengthen carbon sequestration of forest ecosystem, make good use of forest to deal with climate change, and reinforce management of forestry carbon sequestration. 2. Enforcement of Forestry Action Plan and Potentiality Exploration In order to enforce National Program on Climate Change Mitigation, the State Forestry Administration organized experts to compile Forestry Action Plan for Climate Change Mitigation in 2 years. This plan clarified guiding thoughts, principles, key fields and main actions in the forest on combating climate change. There are two parts in the Plan. The first is forest mitigation of climate change with 6 fields and 15 specific actions including forest planting and afforestation, sustainable forest managing, bio energy of forestry, forest protection, forest production industry, and restoration and utilization of wetland. The second is forest adaptation to climate change with 3 fields and 7 specific actions including forest, desert and wetland ecosystem. The implementation of Forestry Action Plan for Climate Change Mitigation would supply powerful political and technical supports in the climate convention negotiations for China s sake and guarantee in the
function of forest climate change mitigation and promoting modern forestry development. 3. Establishment Nationwide Unified Monitor System for Forest Carbon Credit Carbon sequestration forestry is technical and professional in establishing forest carbon calculation and monitor system. It is necessary to formulate national unified guide in line with international standards and encourage unified monitoring carbon credit and dynamic changes in individual provinces. Currently, the project of Monitoring System of China Forest Carbon Credits which was initiated by Financial Ministry has been under research by Planning Institute in State Forestry Administration. Meanwhile, Monitoring Guide for China Green Carbon Fund Carbon Credit Afforestation has completed and started on trial at the end of 2008. 4. Establishment of Carbon Credit Measurement Monitoring Team In the context that the functions and roles of forest played in mitigating the climate change have been paid more and more attention, focus questions on understanding how the forest mitigate climate change became very interested to the public, practitioners, and professionals. For instance, how forest affects climate change and how forest to be influenced by climate change are questions interesting to the public. For the professionals, it is more attractive to know what method can be used to measure and elaborate the forest ecosystem function in absorbing carbon dioxide precisely. It is a complicated scientific question how to interpret the process, activity and mechanism that forest absorbed the carbon dioxide in plain language. Even if it is easy for forest carbon sink experts to calculate and evaluate storage of forest carbon, however, it is more complex for carbon credit calculation in international carbon trade related with CDM afforestation and reforestation carbon project and Kyoto Protocol and other international regulations for climate change. As a result, it is necessary to cultivate expert teams to be professional at calculating carbon credits and acquainting in related international regulations. In present, a team from 8 universities, 3 planning and design
institutes and 4 forestry science institutes has been set up by State Forestry Administration for national forestry carbon credit project. The team has completed primary calculations of more than 1 million hector carbon afforestation. 5. Registration of Carbon Afforestation There are three types carbon afforestation in China at the present time. 1) CDM carbon afforestation project. The project has strictly in accordance with international regulations and Management for Enforcing CDM Project issued by the State Development and Reform Commission. 2) Carbon Afforestation project sponsored by China Green Carbon Fund. The projects are usually sponsored by enterprises donation with purpose to directional or storage carbon credits. Application, implementation and calculation of the project are strictly in conformity with project management of China Green Carbon Fund, technical requirement of afforestation, and Monitoring Guide for China Green Carbon Fund Carbon Credit Afforestation. 3) Other carbon afforestation projects, which were not under the CDM and China Green Carbon Fund. The State Forestry Administration issued requirement of recording present carbon afforestation projects and registration of the third type of carbon afforestation projects. Qualified organizations under the approval of the State Forestry Administration would monitor carbon credits of these projects according to Monitoring Guide for China Green Carbon Fund Carbon Credit Afforestation. The result would be kept in carbon trade system and published in China Carbon Trade website. 6. Forestry Pilot Programs for Low Carbon Economy Currently most of the research and discussion of low carbon economy come from industry, particularly the energy industry fields. However the most promising forestry has been ignored. Regarding the realities in China, forest, with its special functions, is one of most important and easiest solutions for climate change mitigation and low carbon economy development in China. It is a solution beneficial to promote sustainable development of national economy, safeguard national eco security and pledge human welfare by developing low carbon economy at low cost, with comprehensive benefit, and real carbon dioxide reduction. As a result, it is significant to making great efforts to
implement major construction of ecology project, enhance capacity of carbon credit, and promote forest planting and afforestation, develop forest carbon sequestration, and reinforce forest carbon functions proposed by the Peoples` Congress in the Decision on Active Response to Climate Change. It is crucial to stress the significance and functions of the forestry in developing low carbon economy and carry out pilot programs and researches on forest promoted low carbon economy. References: 1. Li Nuyun. Forestry Carbon Sequestration of China. Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House, 2007. 2. Li Nuyun. Calculation of Forestry Carbon Sequestration. Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House, 2009. 3. Zhang Xiaoquan and Wu Shuhong. Project Guide of China CDM Afforestation and Reforestation. Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House, 2006. 4. Zhou Xiaofeng. Forest Ecosystem Functions and Management Solutions [M]. Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House, 1999. 5. IPCC. The Fourth Evaluation Report, 2007.