Skip to main content
View expanded cover

Institutions, Sustainability, and Natural Resources pp 233–255Cite as

Forest Carbon Sinks: A Temporary and Costly Alternative to Reducing Emissions for Climate Change Mitigation

  • Chapter

Part of the Sustainability, Economics, and Natural Resources book series (SENR,volume 2)

Abstract

The Kyoto Protocol (KP) requires signatories to reduce CO2-equivalent emissions by an average of 5.2% from 1990 levels by the commitment period 2008–2012. This constitutes only a small proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions. Importantly, countries can attain a significant portion of their targets by sequestering carbon in terrestrial ecosystems in lieu of emission reductions. Since carbon sink activities lead to ephemeral carbon storage, forest management and other activities that enhance carbon sinks enable countries to buy time as they develop emission reduction technologies. Although many countries are interested in sink activities because of their presumed low cost, the analysis in this paper suggests otherwise. While potentially a significant proportion of required CO2 emission reductions can be addressed using carbon sinks, it turns out that, once the opportunity cost of land and the ephemeral nature of sinks are taken into account, costs of carbon uptake could be substantial. Carbon uptake via forest activities varies substantially depending on location (tropical, Great Plains, etc.), activity (forest conservation, tree planting, management, etc.), and the assumptions and methods upon which the cost estimates are based. Once one eliminates forestry projects that should be pursued because of their biodiversity and other non-market benefits, or because of their commercial profitability, there remain few projects that can be justified purely on the grounds that they provide carbon uptake benefits.

Keywords

  • Emission Reduction
  • Kyoto Protocol
  • Carbon Sink
  • Carbon Uptake
  • Carbon Credit

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Research funding from the BIOCAP/SSHRC joint initiative and the Canada Research Chairs Program is gratefully acknowledged. Subject to the usual proviso, the authors wish to thank David Boulter, Albert Berry and Shashi Kant for their insightful comments and suggestions.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • DOI: 10.1007/1-4020-3519-5_11
  • Chapter length: 23 pages
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-1-4020-3519-7
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Softcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Brown, S., Hall, C.A.S., Knabe, W., Raich, J., Trexler, M.C., & Woomer, P.L. (1993). Tropical forests: Their past, present, and potential future role in the terrestrial carbon budget, in terrestrial biospheric carbon fluxes. In J. Wisniewski, R.N. Sampson (Eds.), Quantification of sinks and sources of CO 2 . (pp.71–94) Dordrecht, NL: Kluwer Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caspersen, J.P., Pacala, S.W., Jenkins, J.C., Hurtt, G.C., Moorcroft, P.R., & Birdsey, R.A. (2000). Contribution of land-use history to carbon accumulation in U.S. forests. Science, 290, 1148–1151.

    PubMed  CrossRef  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Chomitz, K.M. (2000). Evaluating carbon offsets from forestry and energy projects: How do they compare? World Bank, Development Research Group (2000), Washington, DC. Retrieved June, 2003, from http://econ.worldbank.org.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coward, H., & Weaver, A. (2003). Climate change in Canada. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Field, B., & Olewiler, N. (2002). Environmental economics (2nd Canadian ed.). Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Griss, P. (2002). Forest carbon management in Canada. Final Report of the Pollution Probe Forest Carbon Management Workshop Series, Pollution Probe, Canmore, AB.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton, R.A. (1993). The role of the world’s forests in global warming. In K. Ramakrishna, G.M. Woodwell (Eds.), The World’s Forests for the Future: Their Use and Conservation. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2000a). Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2000b). The Marrakesh Accords and the Marrakesh Declaration. Marrakesh, Morocco: COP7, IPCC. (Available online at: http://unfccc.int/cop7/documents/accords_draft.pdf).

    Google Scholar 

  • Krcmar, E., Stennes, B., van Kooten, G.C., & Vertinsky, I. (2001) Carbon sequestration and land management under uncertainty. European Journal of Operational Research, 135, 616–629.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Krcmar, E., & van Kooten, G.C. (2003). Timber, carbon uptake and biodiversity tradeoffs in forest management: A compromise programming approach. FEPA Working Paper. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manley, J., van Kooten, G.C., & Smolak, T.M. (2004). How costly are carbon offsets? A meta-analysis of forest carbon sinks. REPA Working Paper. Victoria, BC: University of Victoria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marland, G., Fruit, K., & Sedjo, R. (2001). Accounting for sequestered carbon: The question of permanence. Environmental Science & Policy, 4(6), 259–268.

    CrossRef  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Obersteiner, M., Rametsteiner, E., & Nilsson, S. (2001). Cap Management for LULUCF Options. IIASA Interim Report Ir-01-011. Laxenburg, Austria: IIASA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papadopol, C.S. (2000). Impacts of climate warming on forests in Ontario: Options for adaptation and mitigation. The Forestry Chronicle, 76(1), 139–149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paustian, K., Andren, O., Janzen, H.H., Lal, R., Smith, P., Tian, G., Thiessen, H., van Noordwijk, M., & Woomer, P.L. (1997). Agricultural soils as a sink to mitigate CO2 emissions. Soil Use and Management, 13, 203–244.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, K.R. (1997). The time value of carbon in bottom-up studies. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 27, S279–S292.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, K.R., & Stokes, C. (2004). A review of forest carbon sequestration cost studies: A dozen years of research. Climatic Change (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandor, R.L., & Skees, J.R. (1999). Creating a market for carbon emissions opportunities for U.S. farmers. Choices, First Quarter, 13–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaikh, S.L., Suchánek, P., Sun, L., & van Kooten, G.C. (2003). Does inclusion of landowners’ non-market values lower costs of creating carbon forest sinks? REPA Working Paper (2003-03). Victoria, BC: University of Victoria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sohngen, B., & Alig, R. (2000). Mitigation, adaptation and climate change: Results from recent research on U.S. timber markets. Environmental Science & Policy, 3, 235–248.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Suchánek, P. (2001). Farmers’ willingness to plant trees in the Canadian grain belt to mitigate climate change. M.Sc. Thesis. Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Kooten, G.C. (2000). Economic dynamics of tree planting for carbon uptake on marginal agricultural lands. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 48, 51–65.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • van Kooten, G.C. (2003). Smoke and mirrors: The Kyoto protocol and beyond. Canadian Public Policy/Analyse de Politique, 29(4), 397–415.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • van Kooten, G.C., & Bulte, E.H. (2000). The economics of nature: Managing biological assets. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Kooten, G.C., Thompson, W.A., & Vertinsky, I. (1993). Economics of reforestation in British Columbia when benefits of CO2 reduction are taken into account. In W.L. Adamowicz, W. White, W.E. Phillips (Eds.), Forestry and the Environment: Economic Perspectives (pp.227–247). Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Kooten, G.C., Sedjo, R.A., & Bulte, E.H. (1999). Tropical deforestation: Issues and policies. In H. Folmer, T. Tietenberg (Eds.), The International Yearbook of Environmental and Resource Economics (pp.198–249). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Kooten, G.C., Krcmar-Nozic, E., Stennes, B., & van Gorkom, R. (1999). Economics of fossil fuel substitution and wood product sinks when trees are planted to sequester carbon on agricultural lands in Western Canada. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 29(11), 1669–1678.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • van Kooten, G.C., Stennes, B. Krcmar-Nozic, E., & van Gorkom, R. (2000). Economics of afforestation for carbon sequestration in Western Canada. The Forestry Chronicle, 76(1), 165–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Kooten, G.C., Shaikh, S.L., & Suchánek, P. (2002). Mitigating climate change by planting trees: The transaction costs trap. Land Economics, 78, 559–572.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, J.M., Christy, J.R., Gaffen, D., Grody, N.C., Hansen, J.E., Parker, D.E., Peterson, T.C., Santer, B.D., Spencer, R.W., Trenberth, K.E., & Wentz, F.J. (2000). Reconciling observations of global temperature change. Washington, DC: National Research Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, R.T., Zinyowera, M.C., Moss, R.H., & Dokken, D.J. (1996). Climate change 1995: Impacts, adaptations and mitigation of climate change: Scientific-technical analysis. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woomer, P.L., Palm, C.A., Alegre, J., Castilla, C., Cordeiro, D., Hairiah, K., Kotto-Same, J., Moukam, A., Risce, A., Rodrigues, V., & Van Noordwijk, M. (1999). Carbon dynamics in slash-and-burn systems and land use alternatives: Findings of the alternative to slash-and-burn programme. Working Paper. Nairobi, Kenya: Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Program.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

    G. Van Cornelis Kooten & Alison J. Eagle

Authors
  1. G. Van Cornelis Kooten
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alison J. Eagle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, Canada

    Shashi Kant

  2. Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto, Canada

    R. Albert Berry

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2005 Springer

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Van Cornelis Kooten, G., Eagle, A.J. (2005). Forest Carbon Sinks: A Temporary and Costly Alternative to Reducing Emissions for Climate Change Mitigation. In: Kant, S., Berry, R.A. (eds) Institutions, Sustainability, and Natural Resources. Sustainability, Economics, and Natural Resources, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3519-5_11

Download citation