Resolving Issues on Terrestrial Biospheric Sinks in the Kyoto Protocol

Abstract

In the Kyoto Protocol all Annex I countries have agreed to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by a certain percentage compared to 1990 level in 2008-2012., Several direct human-induced activities initiated in the Land-use Change and Forestry sector since 1990, may be used to achieve that target. However, the wording in the Protocol has caused confusion on exactly is meant in the Protocol,which activities may be included, whether soils should be included and whether any additional measures may be included in the future. Also, the way of monitoring, verification and reporting is unclear. In this NRP project the implications of a choice for a certain definition, additional compartments of the C cycle, and feasibility of monitoring are assessed for a limited number of countries, by applying these definitions and additional measures to the countries' C budget based on the latest data. The forest-related matters are handled by the Institute for Forestry and Nature Research (IBN-DLO), the soil related matters are handled by the Research Institute for Agrobiology and Soil fertility (AB-DLO), and the monitoring and verification matters by the Winand Staring Centre for Integrated Land, Soil and Water Research (SC-DLO).