The UNFCCC framework on REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing countries) encourages developing countries to take actions for reducing emissions in the forestry sector. For receiving performance-based payments countries need – among others – to implement national forest monitoring systems and mechanisms for Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of achievements in avoiding deforestation and forest degradation and in related emission savings.
Estimating emissions from deforestation or forest degradation may be based on Activity Data (AD) and on Emission Factors (EF): Emissions = AD x EF, where AD = change in forest area or in area of degraded forest (in ha) and EF = emissions expressed in tC/ha.
The modules CarbEF and ForestER, developed in the IMPACT tool, allow to link pixel-based maps of forest area change and of forest degradation to biomass or carbon values in order to calculate related emissions. Biomass values may be defined as fixed values or retrieved for each pixel from existing biomass maps. ForestER uses pixel-based forest type maps at time t1 and t2, permitting the integration of maps on forest degradation(t1,t2). CarbEF uses pixel-based forest/non-forest change maps(t1,t2), offering an approach for estimating forest degradation at the level of user-defined larger mapping units.
CarbEF (click for detailed information)
ForestER (click for detailed information)
