»LUSTRA - Land use strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
LUSTRA - Land use strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
THE PROBLEM
General agreement prevails within climate research that the global mean temperature will increase by the end of this century if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the same rate as today. A significant stumbling block in the international negotiations on emission reduction, within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol to the Framework Convention on ClimateChange, is whether and if so, to what extent, soil and vegetation can be used as sinks for greenhouse gases and compensate for some of the emissions.
HOW CAN THE PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTE TO A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM?
The aim of LUSTRA is to evaluate the soil's role as a possible sink for greenhouse gases and propose integrated strategies for modified Swedish land use with regard to so-called Global Warming Potential (GWP) in order to help reduce the net input of greenhouse gases in the best possible way. The programme is oriented towards forest soil and the flow (uptake and emission) of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and methane - and towards methods for better control over the flows by modified silviculture.
WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE RESULTS?
Those who are negotiating within the framework of the Framework Convention on ClimateChange. Forestry. Central, regional and local authorities responsible for the environment, energy and physical planning, including forestry.
Programme period: 1999-2007
Funding: Mistra SEK 60 million
Main contractor: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
