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Magnitude, distribution and causes of terrestrial carbon sinks and some implications for policy

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  • R. A. Houghton

Abstract

Recent analyses continue to modify our understanding of terrestrial carbon sinks. The sinks are large and variable enough to account for much of the variability in the growth rate of atmospheric CO 2 . They are distributed throughout both northern mid-latitudes and the tropics. Identification of the factors influencing an observed sink is extremely difficult; methods for attribution are reviewed. Although various ecological mechanisms (e.g. CO 2 fertilization, nitrogen deposition, climatic variability) have been shown experimentally to have short-term effects on physiological processes controlling the amount of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems, it is unclear which of these mechanisms has been most important in the past 10-100 years and which will be most important in the future. The decades-long supposition that CO 2 fertilization has been a major driver of terrestrial carbon uptake is being challenged. A major portion of the sink in the northern mid-latitudes (although probably not in the tropics) is a result of recovery from past changes in land use and management. To the extent that these direct human actions explain most of the current (and future) sink, attribution and thus accounting become more tractable, but the continued functioning of the sink is limited and largely dependent on deliberate actions (e.g. afforestation, sustainable forest management and preservation).

Suggested Citation

  • R. A. Houghton, 2002. "Magnitude, distribution and causes of terrestrial carbon sinks and some implications for policy," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 2(1), pages 71-88, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:tcpoxx:v:2:y:2002:i:1:p:71-88
    DOI: 10.3763/cpol.2002.0206
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    Cited by:

    1. Qingxiang Meng & Yanna Zheng & Qi Liu & Baolu Li & Hejie Wei, 2023. "Analysis of Spatiotemporal Variation and Influencing Factors of Land-Use Carbon Emissions in Nine Provinces of the Yellow River Basin Based on the LMDI Model," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Fengjie Gao & Xiaohui Xin & Jianxiang Song & Xuewen Li & Lin Zhang & Ying Zhang & Jiafu Liu, 2023. "Simulation of LUCC Dynamics and Estimation of Carbon Stock under Different SSP-RCP Scenarios in Heilongjiang Province," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-18, August.
    3. Junmin Wei & Manhong Shen, 2022. "Analysis of the Efficiency of Forest Carbon Sinks and Its Influencing Factors—Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-17, September.
    4. Linhe Chen & Yanhong Hang & Quanfeng Li, 2023. "Spatial-Temporal Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Carbon Emissions from Land Use and Land Cover in Black Soil Region of Northeast China Based on LMDI Simulation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-25, June.
    5. Thomas Knoke & Michael Weber, 2006. "Expanding Carbon Stocks in Existing Forests – A Methodological Approach for Cost Appraisal at the Enterprise Level," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 579-605, May.
    6. Qiaowen Lin & Lu Zhang & Bingkui Qiu & Yi Zhao & Chao Wei, 2021. "Spatiotemporal Analysis of Land Use Patterns on Carbon Emissions in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-13, February.
    7. Zhang, Fan & Li, Changsheng & Wang, Zheng & Glidden, Stanley & Grogan, Danielle S. & Li, Xuxiang & Cheng, Yan & Frolking, Steve, 2015. "Modeling impacts of management on farmland soil carbon dynamics along a climate gradient in Northwest China during 1981–2000," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 312(C), pages 1-10.
    8. Min Liu & Yinrong Chen & Kun Chen & Yi Chen, 2023. "Progress and Hotspots of Research on Land-Use Carbon Emissions: A Global Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-23, April.
    9. Yang, Xu & Liu, Xianzhao, 2023. "Path analysis and mediating effects of influencing factors of land use carbon emissions in Chang-Zhu-Tan urban agglomeration," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    10. Rehdanz, Katrin & Tol, Richard S.J. & Wetzel, Patrick, 2006. "Ocean carbon sinks and international climate policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(18), pages 3516-3526, December.
    11. Jung, Martina, 2003. "The Role of Forestry Sinks in the CDM - Analysing the Effects of Policy Decisions on the Carbon Market," Discussion Paper Series 26293, Hamburg Institute of International Economics.
    12. Jung, Martina, 2003. "The Role of Forestry Sinks in the CDM - Analysing the Effects of Policy Decisions on the Carbon Market," HWWA Discussion Papers 241, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWA).
    13. Jie He & Jun Yang, 2023. "Spatial–Temporal Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Land-Use Carbon Emissions: An Empirical Analysis Based on the GTWR Model," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-23, July.
    14. Haiming Yan & Xin Guo & Shuqin Zhao & Huicai Yang, 2022. "Variation of Net Carbon Emissions from Land Use Change in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region during 1990–2020," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-15, June.
    15. Tianqi Rong & Pengyan Zhang & Wenlong Jing & Yu Zhang & Yanyan Li & Dan Yang & Jiaxin Yang & Hao Chang & Linna Ge, 2020. "Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Their Driving Forces of Land Use Change Based on Economic Contributive Coefficient (ECC) and Ecological Support Coefficient (ESC) in the Lower Yellow River Region (1995–20," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-18, May.

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