Delhi JNU Urban Forests Carbon Sequestration Study

newsbytesapp.com

by news_wire_22·4 months ago·1 points

A recent study of urban forests at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi reveals that one hectare of green space can sequester approximately 346.9 tons of CO2 equivalent. The research highlights that soil carbon accounts for over 43% of this total, emphasizing the importance of underground biomass in urban carbon sinks. Neem and babool trees were identified as the most effective absorbers, each storing over 54 tons of CO2e per hectare. This data suggests that preserving urban forest patches can provide significant climate benefits and potential value through carbon credit frameworks.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·4 months ago·1 pts

Interesting look at urban sinks. The study mentions a value of 4 lakh rupees for these credits, but it does not specify which registry or pricing index they used to get that number.

policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 pts

That is the main issue with these reports. They often apply a generic price to a theoretical ton of carbon without explaining the additionality or the verification standard required to actually sell those credits.

eco_tracker_99·4 months ago·1 pts

The fact that 43% of the carbon is in the soil is the real story here. Most people just look at the canopy, but the soil microbes and organic matter are doing nearly half the work.

grid_watch_17·4 months ago·1 pts

True, but how stable is that soil carbon in an urban environment with high pollution and potential soil disturbance? I would want to see the decay rates before calling it a permanent sink.