Carbon stock and emissions mapping: PAFC leads the way

17 January 2023 Driving innovation

The Congo Basin is not only a pioneer in the development of a regional forest certification system – the very first of its kind to be endorsed by PEFC – it also includes innovative requirements like the mapping of carbon stocks, and performing of greenhouse gas emissions assessments.

Collaborating under the name of PAFC Congo Basin, our members for the Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Gabon have jointly developed the regional forest certification system.

This system is the first to contain two new requirements linked to current climate issues: the mapping of the carbon stock in a forest, and a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions assessment linked to forestry operations.

Born during the standard development process, the innovative requirements are a response to the new expectations that companies and forests owners are facing.

From theory to practice

Forestry and environment consulting firm TEREA, supported by the PPECF and PEFC, has developed a methodology to map the carbon stock in a forest, as well as an audit tool for GHG emissions, to help forestry companies meet the two requirements introduced in the PAFC standard.

The first tool is a methodology allowing companies to map the estimated aerial carbon stocks of their forest, identify particularly important carbon stocks, and establish a quantification of GHG emissions from their forestry activities. The second one is an Excel-based calculator to estimate the GHG emissions balance of forestry companies.

Both tools have been designed to be easy to use, and mostly use information that foresters are already collecting, to keep the additional work to a minimum.

A hotline will be put in place to support the companies in the use of those tools, verify the information and help with the interpretation of the results.

Further information on the new tools can be requested at coordination@pafc-certification.org or thomas.seyvet@pefc.org.

Photo credits: ATIBT, Luca Zanetti