Commentary on the contribution to greenhouse gas absorption by the forestry sector in Taiwan.

Abstract

In Taiwan, 59% of area (i.e., 2.15 million ha, or 5.3 million acre) is covered by forests, less forested than some developed countries like Sweden (70%), Japan (67 percent) and South Korea (64 percent). More significantly, forest resources contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction and climate change mitigation by removing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and storing it in biomass and other carbon pools. According to the national GHG inventory, the percentage of contribution to GHG absorption by forestry sector in Taiwan are only about 7.4% based on total GHG emissions (284,514 kilotons of CO2 equivalents) in 2013. On the other hand, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act (GGRMA) has been officially promulgated on 1 July 2015. In the paper, the author first described the brief of the GGRMA regarding the role in the Taiwan’s forestry sector. Thereafter, the contribution to GHG absorption by forestry sector in Taiwan was analyzed according to the “2015 Taiwan Greenhouse Gas Inventory“. Finally, some perspectives were addressed to enhance carbon sequestration by the forestry sector in Taiwan.