scholarly journals Estimating net climate impacts of timber production and utilization in fossil fuel intensive material and energy substitution

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 1010-1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashraful Alam ◽  
Harri Strandman ◽  
Seppo Kellomäki ◽  
Antti Kilpeläinen
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Forest Biomass ◽  
Climate Impact ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Similar System

We utilized an ecosystem model and life cycle assessment tool for studying carbon flows between the ecosystem, technosystem, and atmosphere for scenarios utilizing forest biomass (biosystem) against fossil fuel intensive materials (fossil system). The net climate impacts were studied for a Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stand over two consecutive rotation periods (2 × 80 years) in the boreal conditions in central Finland (62°N, 29°E). The effects of alternative forest management on the carbon dynamics in the biosystem were studied in comparison with the fossil system by using an unmanaged and baseline thinning regime. The results showed that the biosystem produced carbon benefits compared with the similar system with the use of fossil fuel intensive materials and energy. The unmanaged stand stored the highest amount of carbon and retained carbon the longest when solely the ecosystem was considered. Studying the ecosystem and the technosystem together, the biosystem was found effective in storing and increasing the residence of carbon with or without changing the life span of biomass-based products. We found that the increase of the life span of biomass-based products could reduce emissions up to 0.28 t CO2·ha−1·year−1 depending on the management regimes over the study period. The increased stocking regimes could increase negative net climate impact by 47% over the study period compared with the use of baseline thinning in the biosystem. The proper climate mitigation strategies should consider the benefits from forest management and forest biomass in storing carbon into both the ecosystem and technosystem.

scholarly journals Forest management contributes to climate mitigation by reducing fossil fuel consumption: A response to the letter by Welle et al.

GCB Bioenergy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernst‐Detlef Schulze ◽  
Carlos Sierra ◽  
Vincent Egenolf ◽  
Rene Woerdehoff ◽  
Roland Irsinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Fossil Fuel Consumption

scholarly journals Decadal variability in land carbon sink efficiency

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Zhu ◽  
Philippe Ciais ◽  
Ana Bastos ◽  
Ashley P. Ballantyne ◽  
Frederic Chevallier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Decadal Variability ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Carbon Sinks ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Carbon Neutrality

Abstract Background The climate mitigation target of limiting the temperature increase below 2 °C above the pre-industrial levels requires the efforts from all countries. Tracking the trajectory of the land carbon sink efficiency is thus crucial to evaluate the nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Here, we define the instantaneous land sink efficiency as the ratio of natural land carbon sinks to emissions from fossil fuel and land-use and land-cover change with a value of 1 indicating carbon neutrality to track its temporal dynamics in the past decades. Results Land sink efficiency has been decreasing during 1957–1990 because of the increased emissions from fossil fuel. After the effect of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption diminished (after 1994), the land sink efficiency firstly increased before 2009 and then began to decrease again after 2009. This reversal around 2009 is mostly attributed to changes in land sinks in tropical regions in response to climate variations. Conclusions The decreasing trend of land sink efficiency in recent years reveals greater challenges in climate change mitigation, and that climate impacts on land carbon sinks must be accurately quantified to assess the effectiveness of regional scale climate mitigation policies.

scholarly journals Global Sustainability Crossroads: A Participatory Simulation Game to Educate in the Energy and Sustainability Challenges of the 21st Century

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 3672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iñigo Capellán-Pérez ◽  
David Álvarez-Antelo ◽  
Luis J. Miguel
Keyword(s):  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Simulation Game ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Global Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Environment Model ◽  
Participatory Simulation ◽  
Simulation Group ◽  
Energy Economy ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

There is a general need to facilitate citizens’ understanding of the global sustainability problem with the dual purpose of raising their awareness of the seriousness of the problem and helping them get closer to understanding the complexity of the solutions. Here, the design and application of the participatory simulation game Global Sustainability Crossroads is described, based on a global state-of-the-art energy–economy–environment model, which creates a virtual scenario where the participants are confronted with the design of climate mitigation strategies as well as the social, economic, and environmental consequences of decisions. The novelty of the game rests on the global scope and the representation of the drivers of anthropogenic emissions within the MEDEAS-World model, combined with a participatory simulation group dynamic flexible enough to be adapted to a diversity of contexts and participants. The performance of 13 game workshops with ~420 players has shown it has a significant pedagogical potential: the game is able to generate discussions on crucial topics which are usually outside the public realm such as the relationship between economic growth and sustainability, the role of technology, how human desires are limited by biophysical constraints or the possibility of climate tipping points.

scholarly journals Towards Understanding Variability in Droughts in Response to Extreme Climate Conditions over the Different Agro-Ecological Zones of Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6910
Author(s):  
Adil Dilawar ◽  
Baozhang Chen ◽  
Arfan Arshad ◽  
Lifeng Guo ◽  
Muhammad Irfan Ehsan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Precipitation Extremes ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Climate Extreme ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Agro Ecological Zones

Here, we provided a comprehensive analysis of long-term drought and climate extreme patterns in the agro ecological zones (AEZs) of Pakistan during 1980–2019. Drought trends were investigated using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) at various timescales (SPEI-1, SPEI-3, SPEI-6, and SPEI-12). The results showed that droughts (seasonal and annual) were more persistent and severe in the southern, southwestern, southeastern, and central parts of the region. Drought exacerbated with slopes of −0.02, −0.07, −0.08, −0.01, and −0.02 per year. Drought prevailed in all AEZs in the spring season. The majority of AEZs in Pakistan’s southern, middle, and southwestern regions had experienced substantial warming. The mean annual temperature minimum (Tmin) increased faster than the mean annual temperature maximum (Tmax) in all zones. Precipitation decreased in the southern, northern, central, and southwestern parts of the region. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a robust increase in temperature extremes with a variance of 76% and a decrease in precipitation extremes with a variance of 91% in the region. Temperature and precipitation extremes indices had a strong Pearson correlation with drought events. Higher temperatures resulted in extreme drought (dry conditions), while higher precipitation levels resulted in wetting conditions (no drought) in different AEZs. In most AEZs, drought occurrences were more responsive to precipitation. The current findings are helpful for climate mitigation strategies and specific zonal efforts are needed to alleviate the environmental and societal impacts of drought.

scholarly journals Early Responses to Climate Change: An Analysis of Seven U.S. State and Local Climate Adaptation Planning Initiatives

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Andrew Poyar ◽  
Nancy Beller-Simms
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Climate Impact ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Adaptation Planning ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Climate Adaptation Planning

Abstract State and local governments in the United States manage a wide array of natural and human resources that are particularly sensitive to climate variability and change. Recent revelations of the extent of the current and potential climate impact in this realm such as with the quality of water, the structure of the coasts, and the potential and witnessed impact on the built infrastructure give these political authorities impetus to minimize their vulnerability and plan for the future. In fact, a growing number of subnational government bodies in the United States have initiated climate adaptation planning efforts; these initiatives emphasize an array of climate impacts, but at different scales, scopes, and levels of sophistication. Meanwhile, the current body of climate adaptation literature has not taken a comprehensive look at these plans nor have they questioned what prompts local adaptation planning, at what scope and scale action is being taken, or what prioritizes certain policy responses over others. This paper presents a case-based analysis of seven urban climate adaptation planning initiatives, drawing from a review of publicly available planning documents and interviews with stakeholders directly involved in the planning process to provide a preliminary understanding of these issues. The paper also offers insight into the state of implementation of adaptation strategies, highlighting the role of low upfront costs and cobenefits with issues already on the local agenda in prompting anticipatory adaptation.

scholarly journals The potential of forest-derived bioenergy to contribute to China's future energy and transportation fuel requirements

2012 ◽  
Vol 88 (05) ◽  
pp. 547-552
Author(s):  
Ling Li ◽  
Sergios Karatzos ◽  
Jack Saddler
Keyword(s):  
Cellulosic Ethanol ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Forest Biomass ◽  
Marginal Land ◽  
Transportation Fuel ◽  
Transportation Fuels ◽  
Energy Dependent

Increasing concerns of oil security, greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainability have encouraged nations to consider the contribution that agriculture/forestry for bioenergy (and biofuels in particular) could make as alternatives to current fossil-based energy and transportation fuels. Despite China's large population and geographical size, it has only relatively recently developed into a highly industrialized and energy-dependent economy. Coal is, and will remain, China's dominant energy source. However, over the last few years with China's growing middle class, increasing growth in production and sale of cars/trucks and a growing chemical based sector, oil and its derivatives are predicted to experience the fastest fossil fuel growth. China's ability to produce so-called “first-generation” or conventional biofuels from sugar, starch or vegetable oil based plants is very restricted because of “food vs. fuel” issues. Thus, biomass-based and forest-based biofuels, in particular, can form a medium-to-long-term solution that could contribute to China's national biofuels targets. Oilseed trees have been suggested as an initial forest-based biodiesel strategy with about 13 million ha of marginal land identified for possible plantation. It is also estimated that 17 million tonnes of cellulosic ethanol per annum could be derived from forest biomass that is currently available in China.

The Paradox of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Danish Housing

2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 19-28
Author(s):  
Rob Marsh
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Theoretical Study ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Mitigation Strategy ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Space Heating ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Passive Solar

Climate change means that buildings must greatly reduce their energy consumption. It is however paradoxical that climate mitigation in Denmark has created negative energy and indoor climate problems in housing that may be made worse by climate change. A literature review has been carried out of housing schemes where climate mitigation was sought through reduced space heating demand, and it is shown that extensive problems with overheating exist. A theoretical study of regulative and design strategies for climate mitigation in new build housing has therefore been carried out, and it is shown that reducing space heating with high levels of thermal insulation and passive solar energy results in overheating and a growing demand for cooling. Climate change is expected to reduce space heating and increase cooling demand in housing. An analysis of new build housing using passive solar energy as a climate mitigation strategy has therefore been carried out in relation to future climate change scenarios. It is shown that severe indoor comfort problems can occur, questioning the relevance of passive solar energy as a climate mitigation strategy. In conclusion, a theoretical study of the interplay between climate adaptation and mitigation strategies is carried out, with a cross-disciplinary focus on users, passive design and active technologies. It is shown that the cumulative use of these strategies can create an adaptation buffer, thus eliminating problems with overheating and reducing energy consumption. New build housing should therefore be designed in relation to both current and future climate scenarios to show that the climate mitigation strategies ensure climate adaptation.

scholarly journals Impacts of Alternative Harvesting and Natural Disturbance Scenarios on Forest Biomass in the Superior National Forest, USA

Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Russell ◽  
Stephanie Patton ◽  
David Wilson ◽  
Grant Domke ◽  
Katie Frerker
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Forest Biomass ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Timber Harvest ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Volume Control ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Natural Disturbances ◽  
Project Area

The amount of biomass stored in forest ecosystems is a result of past natural disturbances, forest management activities, and current structure and composition such as age class distributions. Although natural disturbances are projected to increase in their frequency and severity on a global scale in the future, forest management and timber harvesting decisions continue to be made at local scales, e.g., the ownership or stand level. This study simulated potential changes in natural disturbance regimes and their interaction with timber harvest goals across the Superior National Forest (SNF) in northeastern Minnesota, USA. Forest biomass stocks and stock changes were simulated for 120 years under three natural disturbance and four harvest scenarios. A volume control approach was used to estimate biomass availability across the SNF and a smaller project area within the SNF (Jeanette Project Area; JPA). Results indicate that under current harvest rates and assuming disturbances were twice that of normal levels resulted in reductions of 2.62 to 10.38% of forest biomass across the four primary forest types in the SNF and JPA, respectively. Under this scenario, total biomass stocks remained consistent after 50 years at current and 50% disturbance rates, but biomass continued to decrease under a 200%-disturbance scenario through 120 years. In comparison, scenarios that assumed both harvest and disturbance were twice that of normal levels and resulted in reductions ranging from 14.18 to 29.85% of forest biomass. These results suggest that both natural disturbances and timber harvesting should be considered to understand their impacts to future forest structure and composition. The implications from simulations like these can provide managers with strategic approaches to determine the economic and ecological outcomes associated with timber harvesting and disturbances.

scholarly journals Sensitivity of black carbon concentrations and climate impact to aging and scavenging

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne T. Lund ◽  
Terje K. Berntsen ◽  
Bjørn H. Samset
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Acid ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Vertical Profiles ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Model Measurement ◽  
Global Mean

Abstract. Despite recent improvements, significant uncertainties in global modeling of black carbon (BC) aerosols persist, posing important challenges for the design and evaluation of effective climate mitigation strategies targeted at BC emission reductions. Here we investigate the sensitivity of BC concentrations in the chemistry-transport model OsloCTM2 with the microphysical aerosol parameterization M7 (OsloCTM2-M7) to parameters controlling aerosol aging and scavenging. We focus on Arctic surface concentrations and remote region BC vertical profiles, and introduce a novel treatment of condensation of nitric acid on BC. The OsloCTM2-M7 underestimates annual averaged BC surface concentrations, with a mean normalized bias of −0.55. The seasonal cycle and magnitude of Arctic BC surface concentrations is improved compared to previous OsloCTM2 studies, but model-measurement discrepancies during spring remain. High-altitude BC over the Pacific is overestimated compared with measurements from the HIPPO campaigns. We find that a shorter global BC lifetime improves the agreement with HIPPO, in line with other recent studies. Several processes can achieve this, including allowing for convective scavenging of hydrophobic BC and reducing the amount of soluble material required for aging. Simultaneously, the concentrations in the Arctic are reduced, resulting in poorer agreement with measurements in part of the region. A first step towards inclusion of aging by nitrate in OsloCTM2-M7 is made by allowing for condensation of nitric acid on BC. This results in a faster aging and reduced lifetime, and in turn to a better agreement with the HIPPO measurements. On the other hand, model-measurement discrepancies in the Arctic are exacerbated. Work to further improve this parameterization is needed. The impact on global mean radiative forcing (RF) and surface temperature response (TS) in our experiments is estimated. Compared to the baseline, decreases in global mean direct RF on the order of 10–30 % of the total pre-industrial to present BC direct RF is estimated for the experiments that result in the largest changes in BC concentrations. We show that globally tuning parameters related to BC aging and scavenging can improve the representation of BC vertical profiles in the OsloCTM2-M7 compared with observations. Our results also show that such improvements can result from changes in several processes and often depend on assumptions about uncertain parameters such as the BC ice nucleating efficiency and the change in hygroscopicity with aging. It is also important to be aware of potential tradeoffs in model performance between different regions. Other important sources of uncertainty, particularly for Arctic BC, such as model resolution has not been investigated here. Our results underline the importance of more observations and experimental data to improve process understanding and thus further constrain models.

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