Denmark's National Inventory Report 2005 - Submitted under the ...

place during the first 30 years following afforestation (Vesterdal et al., 2002). However, results
from an EU project (http://www.sl.kvl.dk/afforest/) indicate that this may not be the case following
afforestation on other soil types (Vesterdal et al., 2004). There is currently no systematic
data available to explore this further.
The annual CO 2 uptake and the cumulated CO 2 uptake and afforested area since 1990 are given in
Table 7.6. As shown in the table, annual sequestration of CO 2 in forests established since 1990 has
gradually increased to 73 Gg CO 2 in 2001, for further details see the Annex. The annual CO 2 sequestration
will increase much more over the next decades when cohorts of afforestation areas
enter the stage of maximum current increment.
Table 7.6 Annual CO 2 uptake, cumulated CO 2 uptake and cumulated afforested area (ha) due to afforestation
activities 1990 – 2002.
Annual CO2 uptake (Gg yr -1
)
Cumulated CO2 uptake (Gg)
Cumulated
afforestation
area (ha)
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
0 -1 -3 -5 -8 -10 -16 -24 -34 -43 -59 -74 -88 -108
0 -1 -4 -10 -17 -28 -44 -68 -102 -145 -204 -278 -365 -473
730 1723 2978 4258 5749 7075 8451 10711 12116 16539 19292 21416 23754 26301
During the Kyoto commitment period 2008–2012 (5 years), it is estimated that the Danish afforestation
activities will result in sequestration of 1,308 Gg CO 2 . This amount of C results from the
afforestation of 43,000 ha of former arable land over the period 1990–2012. The sink capacity is
based on a conservative estimate of approximately 1,900 ha of land afforested annually in the period
2004-2012, but it is possible that other instruments in addition to subsidisation will make it
possible to increase the rate of afforestation and eventually the sequestration of CO 2 .
7.2.2.4 Total contribution of forestry
Table 7.7 shows the figures reported in this NIR report distributed to the land uses afforestation and
forests existing prior to 1990. Afforestation currently contributes little to the total uptake in forestry,
but the annual uptake increases as stands enter the stage of maximum rate of increment and as the
afforestation area gradually increases.
Table 7.7 CO 2 stores and annual uptake in forests in Gg, 1990 – 2002. Uptake due to changes in forest biomass
stocks in forests planted before 1990 and due to afforestation of former arable land since 1990.
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
CO 2 store in all forests 82225 98278
Total CO 2 uptake in
forests -2832 -3013 -3000 -3215 -3100 -2992 -3064 -3153 -3313 -3311 -653 -3539 -3813 -3532
CO 2 uptake in forests
existing before 1990 -2832 -3012 -2997 -3210 -3092 -2982 -3048 -3129 -3279 -3268 -594 -3465 -3725 -3424
CO 2 uptake due to afforestation
since 1990 0 -1 -3 -5 -8 -10 -16 -24 -34 -43 -59 -74 -88 -108
7.2.3 Uncertainties and time-series consistency
7.2.3.1 Uncertainty of the reported sinks
In response to previous reviews a discussion has been added on the probably high but currently
unknown uncertainty for CO uptake in forestry. Uncertainty will be addressed for the inventory
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