Greenhouse gas emissions from tropical forest degradation: an underestimated source

Timothy R H Pearson,Gabriel Sidman,Sandra Brown,Lara Murray

doi:10.1186/s13021-017-0072-2

Timothy R H Pearson, Gabriel Sidman + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13021-017-0072-2

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Abstract

BackgroundThe degradation of forests in developing countries, particularly those within tropical and subtropical latitudes, is perceived to be an important contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. However, the impacts of forest degradation are understudied and poorly understood, largely because international emission reduction programs have focused on deforestation, which is easier to detect and thus more readily monitored. To better understand and seize opportunities for addressing climate change it will be essential to improve knowledge of greenhouse gas emissions from forest degradation.ResultsHere we provide a consistent estimation of forest degradation emissions between 2005 and 2010 across 74 developing countries covering 2.2 billion hectares of forests. We estimated annual emissions of 2.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide, of which 53% were derived from timber harvest, 30% from woodfuel harvest and 17% from forest fire. These percentages differed by region: timber harvest was as high as 69% in South and Central America and just 31% in Africa; woodfuel harvest was 35% in Asia, and just 10% in South and Central America; and fire ranged from 33% in Africa to only 5% in Asia. Of the total emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, forest degradation accounted for 25%. In 28 of the 74 countries, emissions from forest degradation exceeded those from deforestation.ConclusionsThe results of this study clearly demonstrate the importance of accounting greenhouse gases from forest degradation by human activities. The scale of emissions presented indicates that the exclusion of forest degradation from national and international GHG accounting is distorting. This work helps identify where emissions are likely significant, but policy developments are needed to guide when and how accounting should be undertaken. Furthermore, ongoing research is needed to create and enhance cost-effective accounting approaches.

Highlights

The degradation of forests in developing countries, those within tropical and subtropical latitudes, is perceived to be an important contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions
Emissions include those from (1) direct carbon loss of the extracted log; (2) the top and stump of the felled tree, plus trees incidentally killed or severely damaged surrounding the logging gap; and (3) trees killed during the construction of logging infrastructure
Emissions associated with timber harvest accounted for more than half of the total degradation emissions (53%) followed by woodfuel (30%) and fire (17%)

Summary

Introduction

The degradation of forests in developing countries, those within tropical and subtropical latitudes, is perceived to be an important contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. The impacts of forest degradation are understudied and poorly understood, largely because international emission reduction programs have focused on deforestation, which is easier to detect and more readily monitored. The degradation of forests in developing countries, those within tropical and subtropical latitudes, is perceived to be an important contributor both to global greenhouse gas emissions and to development. International emission reduction programs (especially reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation, conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks—REDD+) have focused mostly on deforestation, which is easier to detect and more readily measured and monitored than forest degradation [13].

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