There remain
gaps in our global scientific knowledge about carbon accounting and significant
opportunities to explore new areas that may have benefits for carbon inventories
and accounting in the future.
If you would
like to discuss any of these issues with a representative from the CRC, please
call our Head Office on 02 6125 4020 or via office@greenhouse.crc.org.au
Scientists
in the CRC have identified some possible gaps and opportunities and these
include:
- A
better understanding of the below-ground component of the carbon cycle
(CC) and, in particular, the transfer of above ground carbon to below
ground biomass and soil carbon pools. This gap is significant because
below ground carbon is difficult and costly to measure at national to
project scales and because significant gains and losses of carbon are
associated with below ground carbon. Within this field, a better understanding
of carbon fluxes from litter and associated with fine root turnover, were
identified as particularly important.
- In
many accounting situations, models will be used to assess the necessity
and design of measurement systems and for extrapolating from these measurements
in space and time. Thus, validation and testing of a range of available
models for determining carbon flux at a variety of scales is an important
task.
- Temporal variability
in carbon flux can greatly affect the credit/debit received even over
periods as long as the five-year commitment period. Research issues include:
a) Methods for assessing the size of this variation will help to set risk
management strategies at both national and project scales; b) The effect
of disturbances, such as fires, on carbon fluxes; and that this work will
progress mostly via well-validated models of the CC that are responsive
to weather and disturbances.
- Spatial
variability in the carbon flux both above and below ground in a variety
of key ecosystems, and in relation to a variety of climatic and ecological
conditions remains a major uncertainty. Efficient sampling systems to
measure and account for this variability are needed for cost-effective
inventory at both national and project scales.
- International
moves to set "Good Practice Guidelines" give urgency to understanding
the carbon lifecycle of forest products.
- An
understanding of possible future change, and mitigation and adaptation
measures in respect to other (non-CO2) greenhouse gases.
- An
understanding of the impact of a wide variety of land management measures
on carbon sequestration.
- An
understanding of the likely future effects of climate and atmospheric
change on carbon fluxes in a wide variety of ecosystems.
- Rapid
advances in inverse modelling also appear likely. Recent developments
in mathematical analysis and possible developments in satellite technology
to measure the carbon in atmospheric columns mean that the precision and
resolution of inverse analyses may well improve substantially. The CRC
can collaborate on the developing and testing the CC models used in these
analyses.