The potential of delta ecosystem in North Coast of Java in reducing CO2 emissions

Abstract

Global warming causes more carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The mangrove forest is one of the world’s largest carbon sinks, as it is capable of storing and absorbing CO2 more than other forests. This research aims to determine carbon storage and CO2 sequestration at various zones of mangrove forests on the Wulan Delta, i.e. pond, river, and coastal zone, also determine the potential of delta ecosystem in North Coast of Java in reducing CO2 emissions with Wulan Delta as the sample. Systematic and non-destructive sampling method was used by measuring the Diameter at Height Breast (DBH) of mangrove trees with a diameter of >5 cm inside plot areas of 10 m x 10 m each, and the measurement result was then calculated based on an allometric equation. The mangrove forest of Wulan Delta has the above-ground of carbon density 245.578 ton C/ha, root carbon density of 100.778 ton C/ha, and soil carbon density of 42,991.169 ton C/ha. It sums up to the total carbon storage of 9,171,845.27 ton C and CO2 sequestration of 33,660,672.12 ton CO2 with an annual sequestration value of 1,530,030.55 tons CO2/year. The CO2 sequstration results are then compared with the delta in North Coast of Java with extrapolation method. The results obtained that Delta in North Coast of Java can absorb CO2 national emissions in 2018 by 3.416x10−6 CO2/year.