Germany's Forest Emissions Rise, Peat Soils a Major Source
In 2023, Germany's greenhouse gas emissions from peat soils reached 50.8 million t CO2 equivalents, around 7% of the total. Forests, covering 31% of Earth's land, are crucial carbon sinks, with boreal forests playing a significant role. The carbon cycle regulates Earth's climate, and soil is the most important carbon sink, storing five times more carbon than vegetation.
Germany's LULUCF sector, including land use and forestry, accounted for net greenhouse gas emissions in most years from 1990 to 2023. In 2023, net emissions from this sector increased by 90.6% compared to 1990, reaching around 69 million t CO2 equivalent. Emissions from agricultural land, particularly arable and grassland, were the main sources. Forest fires in 2023 released around 0.11 million t CO-equivalents, a negligible fraction of total CO emissions.
The forest category plays a crucial role as a potential net carbon sink. In 2023, around 20.9 million t CO2 equivalent were released from forests, compared to around 25.4 million t CO2 equivalent stored in 1990. Healthy, growing forests can absorb large amounts of CO from the atmosphere annually.
Germany's LULUCF sector remains a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. While forests act as important carbon sinks, emissions from peat soils and agricultural land pose challenges. Despite this, the exact funding for renewable agriculture and wetland protection programs under the Revised Climate Protection Act in 2024 remains unclear, as no specific figures are publicly available.
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