The ecological and economic potential of carbon sequestration in forests: examples from South America.
Costs of reforestation projects determine their competitiveness with alternative measures to mitigate rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We quantify carbon sequestration in above-ground biomass and soils of plantation forests and secondary forests in two countries in South America-Ecuador and Argentina-and calculate costs of temporary carbon sequestration. Costs per temporary certified emission reduction unit vary between 0.1 and 2.7 USD Mg(-1) CO2 and mainly depend on opportunity costs, site suitability, discount rates, and certification costs. In Ecuador, secondary forests are a feasible and cost-efficient alternative, whereas in Argentina reforestation on highly suitable land is relatively cheap. Our results can be used to design cost-effective sink projects and to negotiate fair carbon prices for landowners.
de Koning
Free
F
University of Göttingen, Institute of Soil Science and Forest Nutrition, Germany. fkoning@uio.telconet.net
Olschewski
Roland
R
Veldkamp
Edzo
E
Benítez
Pablo
P
López-Ulloa
Magdalena
M
Schlichter
Tomás
T
de Urquiza
Mercedes
M
D001118:Argentina; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004484:Ecuador; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D016468:Forestry / Q000191:economics*; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D014197:Trees
D002244:Carbon