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Atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases hit record highs, increasing the importance of existing forest carbon pools and carbon absorption. The oceans, soils and forests are the world's largest carbon sinks. Removals and emissions of greenhouse gases by forests are impacted by forest carbon uptake, natural disturbances and forest management activities.
Forest carbon sinks and sources
Forests act as natural carbon sinks, vital for regulating the planet's carbon cycle. Trees absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, storing more carbon than they release. However, forests can also become carbon sources through decay, degradation or wood harvest, emitting more carbon than they absorb. Disturbances such as deforestation, fires, insects, storms, droughts, and floods can lead to carbon release. These disturbances cause rapid and significant CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions.
European forests act as a carbon sink, as more carbon is absorbed than released. Forest carbon sinks fluctuate significantly for various reasons. Reductions may be caused by storm damage, as in 2007, and increases may be caused by reduced harvesting, as in 2009 and 2010, during the economic crisis.
How large a sink can be expected from Europe’s forests will depend on the use and management, impacts of climate, and intensity and frequency of other disturbances. The size of the carbon sink varies greatly by forest type. Compared to the existing carbon sink in Europe’s forests, the net annual CO2 absorption, increasing the total carbon sink, is relatively small (1-2% per year).
In Europe, net emissions and removals from total forest land are monitored and reported annually under the LULUCF (Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry) sector. These comprise emissions and removals from the following forest carbon sinks: above- and below-ground biomass, deadwood, litter, mineral, and organic soils.
Over the last ten years, the size of the total carbon sink from forests and forest soils has decreased
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Carbon stocks in forest biomass
Carbon stocks in forest biomass refer to the amount of carbon (C) sequestered in forest biomass (i.e. live stems, branches, roots and leaves, and deadwood). These carbon stocks vary greatly throughout Europe's forests. Highest carbon stocks per hectare in forest biomass are found in Central Europe, with an average storage of approximately 92 tonnes of carbon per hectare, while lowest stocks are found in Southern Europe, which averages around 40 tonnes per hectare. Since 1990 carbon stocks in forest biomass is increasing, representing a sink of atmospheric carbon. The major reasons for this increase are that the forest area has been increasing and that growth has exceeded harvest and mortality.
The carbon stock in the biomass of Europe's forest has been increasing
(graph based on partial reporting)
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The total carbon stock in living biomass is highest in North and Central-West Europe. The major reason for this is the large forest cover in these regions. The largest annual increase in biomass carbon stocks from 1990 to 2020 are found in Central-East Europe and amounts to 57.3 million tonnes over 1990 to 2020. This increase is mainly due to the increase in yield of the forests (above ground biomass) in this region. For the EU27, the increase over 1990 to 2020 amounts to 90.2 million tonnes of carbon per year. For 2000 to 2010 it even amounts to +118 million tonnes of carbon per year.