Comparative evaluation of OCO-2 XCO2 signature between REDD+ project area and nearby leakage belt

Abstract

Credible measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) for carbon stock are among the most critical elements for the successful implementation of any forestry carbon trading. However, it is very hard to get quantitative evidence validating carbon stock difference among project area (PA), leakage management area and leakage belt (LB) at this moment. Accordingly, this study is intended to contrast OCO-2 XCO2 signature between REDD+ project area and nearby LB. The XCO2 in individual land cover have kept decreasing after the implementation of REDD+ project. The natural forest and woodland which is dominant land use and land cover type shows positive evidences achieved by the REDD project by presenting the lowest XCO2 signature (natural forest: 394.1 ppm, woodland: 393.2 ppm) and highest NDVI (natural forest: 0.498, woodland: 0.488) in PA. It is anticipated that this research outcome could be used as a valuable reference toward MRV based-on OCO-2 XCO2 in relation to performance evaluation of forest carbon trading.