The Ministry of Environment has approved four projects to increase carbon sequestration as part of the agency’s efforts to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the MOENV, the plans involve afforestation, enhancing the carbon capture capacity of depleted and bamboo forests and upgrading the management of mature forests.
Carbon sequestration refers to the natural or artificial process of absorbing and storing greenhouse gases from the environment. To reach the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, the government is establishing carbon sinks as one of its 12 major strategies, the ministry said.
Under the projects, nonforest or deforested land larger than 0.5 hectares with less than 40 percent soil disturbance for flat areas and less than 33 percent for sloped areas is targeted for tree planting, the MOENV said, adding that the planting cannot disrupt existing agricultural operations.
Additionally, forests that have maintained tree cover over the last 20 years with lower than average carbon storage capacity and no commercial logging activities will be thinned in the initial stages to reduce resource competition and encourage healthy growth.
For land that already meets the definition of a mature forest, the initiative aims to optimize stand density with selective harvesting of timber products. Similarly, bamboo forests with growth more than five years old will be harvested to renew carbon sink capacity.
Entities willing to join in any of the projects must submit plans for review in accordance with the MOENV’s regulations, the ministry concluded. (POC-E)
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from Taiwan Today – Top News