India and Global Climate Change

CHAPTER 8

Carbon Sequestrationin Forests: Potentialand Incremental Costs

Haripriya S. Gundimeda

IN THE SEARCH FOR APPROACHES TO MITIGATE the net flux of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere, there has been much interest in forestry-related measures to reduce or offset net emissions of carbon. Several management strategies have been discussed that are aimed at adaptation to potential climate change using terrestrial ecosystems (IPCC 1996). One measure, among many others, that has been advocated to lower the concentration of atmospheric carbon is to manage forests such that they become sinks of CO₂. Managing forests to sequester carbon has an added advantage that other objectives such as timber and fuelwood production, prevention of soil ...