Table 34.
Comparison of Components of Forestry and Land Use Change Included in the Kyoto
Protocol
and IPCC Guidelines
IPCC Category | Category | 1997
U.S. Carbon Sequestered (Million Metric Tons) |
Included
in the Kyoto Protocol? Reason |
Included In IPCC Guidelines? |
Changes in Forest and Other Woody Biomass Stocks | Carbon flux, timberland only | 161, of which 92 in soil carbon. | Yes. Limited to the portion that is anthropogenic and subject to afforestation, reforestation, or deforestation since 1990. | Yes |
Carbon flux, reserved and other forest land (national parks, etc.) | 36, of which 19 in soil carbon. | No. As above, but most parkland will not have been subject to afforestation, reforestation, or deforestation since 1990. | Yes | |
Carbon stored in wood products | 13 | No. Emissions or sequestration away from the forest may not be considered "direct." Possible future inclusion under Article 3.4. | Yes | |
Carbon stored in landfills | 17 | No. Emissions or sequestration away from the forest may not be considered "direct." Possible future inclusion under Article 3.4. | Yes | |
Carbon emitted by wood burned for energy | -55 | No. Emissions or sequestration away from the forest may not be considered "direct." Possible future inclusion under Article 3.4. | Yes | |
Carbon emitted by decay and non-energy burning | -53 | No. Emissions or sequestration away from the forest may not be considered "direct." Possible future inclusion under Article 3.4. | Yes | |
Forest and Grassland Conversion | Carbon emitted by forest conversion to agricultural uses | Not available. | Yes. Deforestation, if the conversion occurs after 1990. | Yes |
Carbon emitted by grassland conversion to agricultural uses | Not available. | No. Not afforestation, deforestation, or reforestation. Possible future inclusion under Article 3.4, if since 1990. | Yes | |
Abandonment of Managed Lands | Carbon sequestered on abandoned formerly managed lands that revert to forest | Not available. | Yes, if the conversion occurs after 1990. Afforestation or reforestation. | Yes |
Carbon sequestered on abandoned formerly managed lands that revert to grassland | Not available. | No. Not afforestation, deforestation, or reforestation. Possible future inclusion under Article 3.4, if since 1990. | Yes | |
Changes in Soil Carbon | Changes in soil carbon | 92 timberland, 19 other forests. Otherwise, not available. | Yes, if the land otherwise qualifies and soil carbon is deemed "verifiable." | Yes for non-forest land, maybe for forests. |
Note: The calculations in
this table are based on an earlier estimate of sequestration than that
shown in Table 33. Hence, both the totals and the distribution of tons
into categories for 1997 differ by about 10 percent (209 million metric
tons versus 227 million metric tons). |