IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-38073-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The effectiveness of global protected areas for climate change mitigation

Author

Listed:
  • L. Duncanson

    (University of Maryland)

  • M. Liang

    (University of Maryland)

  • V. Leitold

    (University of Maryland)

  • J. Armston

    (University of Maryland)

  • S. M. Krishna Moorthy

    (University of Maryland)

  • R. Dubayah

    (University of Maryland)

  • S. Costedoat

    (Conservation International)

  • B. J. Enquist

    (University of Arizona
    The Santa Fe Institute)

  • L. Fatoyinbo

    (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • S. J. Goetz

    (Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University)

  • M. Gonzalez-Roglich

    (WCS)

  • C. Merow

    (University of Connecticut)

  • P. R. Roehrdanz

    (Conservation International)

  • K. Tabor

    (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
    University of Maryland Baltimore County)

  • A. Zvoleff

    (Conservation International)

Abstract

Forests play a critical role in stabilizing Earth’s climate. Establishing protected areas (PAs) represents one approach to forest conservation, but PAs were rarely created to mitigate climate change. The global impact of PAs on the carbon cycle has not previously been quantified due to a lack of accurate global-scale carbon stock maps. Here we used ~412 million lidar samples from NASA’s GEDI mission to estimate a total PA aboveground carbon (C) stock of 61.43 Gt (+/− 0.31), 26% of all mapped terrestrial woody C. Of this total, 9.65 + /− 0.88 Gt of additional carbon was attributed to PA status. These higher C stocks are primarily from avoided emissions from deforestation and degradation in PAs compared to unprotected forests. This total is roughly equivalent to one year of annual global fossil fuel emissions. These results underscore the importance of conservation of high biomass forests for avoiding carbon emissions and preserving future sequestration.

Suggested Citation

  • L. Duncanson & M. Liang & V. Leitold & J. Armston & S. M. Krishna Moorthy & R. Dubayah & S. Costedoat & B. J. Enquist & L. Fatoyinbo & S. J. Goetz & M. Gonzalez-Roglich & C. Merow & P. R. Roehrdanz & , 2023. "The effectiveness of global protected areas for climate change mitigation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-38073-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38073-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-38073-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-38073-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Iain M. McNicol & Casey M. Ryan & Edward T. A. Mitchard, 2018. "Carbon losses from deforestation and widespread degradation offset by extensive growth in African woodlands," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Martin Ehbrecht & Dominik Seidel & Peter Annighöfer & Holger Kreft & Michael Köhler & Delphine Clara Zemp & Klaus Puettmann & Reuben Nilus & Fred Babweteera & Katharina Willim & Melissa Stiers & Danie, 2021. "Global patterns and climatic controls of forest structural complexity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Yue Li & Paulo M. Brando & Douglas C. Morton & David M. Lawrence & Hui Yang & James T. Randerson, 2022. "Deforestation-induced climate change reduces carbon storage in remaining tropical forests," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Miteva, Daniela A. & Murray, Brian C. & Pattanayak, Subhrendu K., 2015. "Do protected areas reduce blue carbon emissions? A quasi-experimental evaluation of mangroves in Indonesia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 127-135.
    5. Nelson Villoria & Rachael Garrett & Florian Gollnow & Kimberly Carlson, 2022. "Leakage does not fully offset soy supply-chain efforts to reduce deforestation in Brazil," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Ho, Daniel E. & Imai, Kosuke & King, Gary & Stuart, Elizabeth A., 2007. "Matching as Nonparametric Preprocessing for Reducing Model Dependence in Parametric Causal Inference," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(3), pages 199-236, July.
    7. Z. S. Venter & M. D. Cramer & H.-J. Hawkins, 2018. "Drivers of woody plant encroachment over Africa," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-7, December.
    8. Nancy L. Harris & David A. Gibbs & Alessandro Baccini & Richard A. Birdsey & Sytze Bruin & Mary Farina & Lola Fatoyinbo & Matthew C. Hansen & Martin Herold & Richard A. Houghton & Peter V. Potapov & D, 2021. "Global maps of twenty-first century forest carbon fluxes," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 11(3), pages 234-240, March.
    9. James E. M. Watson & Nigel Dudley & Daniel B. Segan & Marc Hockings, 2014. "The performance and potential of protected areas," Nature, Nature, vol. 515(7525), pages 67-73, November.
    10. Yonglong Lu & Nebojsa Nakicenovic & Martin Visbeck & Anne-Sophie Stevance, 2015. "Policy: Five priorities for the UN Sustainable Development Goals," Nature, Nature, vol. 520(7548), pages 432-433, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Linghua Qiu & Junhao He & Chao Yue & Philippe Ciais & Chunmiao Zheng, 2024. "Substantial terrestrial carbon emissions from global expansion of impervious surface area," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Beacham, Austin, 2023. "Extraction, Contestation, and Conservation: Natural Resource Dependence and Protected Area Designation," Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, Working Paper Series qt0d40d2z8, Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, University of California.
    3. Thiago Fonseca Morello Ramalho da Silva & Paula Carvalho Pereda & Ana Carolina M. Pessoa & Liana O. Anderson, 2024. "Staggered protection: a study of the dynamic effects of protected areas," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2024_02, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP), revised 09 May 2024.
    4. Peng Qi & Jianlei Lang & Xiaoqi Wang & Ying Zhou & Haoyun Qi & Shuiyuan Cheng, 2024. "The Coordinated Effects of CO 2 and Air Pollutant Emission Changes Induced by Inter-Provincial Trade in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-18, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ziqi Meng & Jinwei Dong & Erle C. Ellis & Graciela Metternicht & Yuanwei Qin & Xiao-Peng Song & Sara Löfqvist & Rachael D. Garrett & Xiaopeng Jia & Xiangming Xiao, 2023. "Post-2020 biodiversity framework challenged by cropland expansion in protected areas," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(7), pages 758-768, July.
    2. Gwenolé Le Velly & Céline Dutilly, 2016. "Evaluating Payments for Environmental Services: Methodological Challenges," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(2), pages 1-20, February.
    3. Denis J. Murphy, 2024. "Carbon Sequestration by Tropical Trees and Crops: A Case Study of Oil Palm," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-31, July.
    4. Andrea Santangeli & Benjamin Weigel & Laura H. Antão & Elina Kaarlejärvi & Maria Hällfors & Aleksi Lehikoinen & Andreas Lindén & Maija Salemaa & Tiina Tonteri & Päivi Merilä & Kristiina Vuorio & Otso , 2023. "Mixed effects of a national protected area network on terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Rana, Pushpendra & Sills, Erin O., 2024. "Inviting oversight: Effects of forest certification on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    6. Eric L. Bullock & Sean P. Healey & Zhiqiang Yang & Phoebe Oduor & Noel Gorelick & Steve Omondi & Edward Ouko & Warren B. Cohen, 2021. "Three Decades of Land Cover Change in East Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-15, February.
    7. Edward Amara & Hari Adhikari & Janne Heiskanen & Mika Siljander & Martha Munyao & Patrick Omondi & Petri Pellikka, 2020. "Aboveground Biomass Distribution in a Multi-Use Savannah Landscape in Southeastern Kenya: Impact of Land Use and Fences," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-24, October.
    8. Chervier, Colas & Ximenes, Arimatéa C. & Mihigo, Blaise-Pascal Ntirumenyerwa & Doumenge, Charles, 2024. "Impact of industrial logging concession on deforestation and forest degradation in the DRC," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    9. Eric C. Davis & Brent Sohngen & David J. Lewis, 2022. "The effect of carbon fertilization on naturally regenerated and planted US forests," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    10. Canavire-Bacarreza, Gustavo & Diaz-Gutierrez, Julian Eduardo & Hanauer, Merlin M., 2018. "Unintended consequences of conservation: Estimating the impact of protected areas on violence in Colombia," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 46-70.
    11. Wumeng He & Orapan Nabangchang & Krista Erdman & Alex C. A. Vanko & Prapti Poudel & Chandra Giri & Jeffrey R. Vincent, 2023. "Inferring Economic Impacts from a Program’s Physical Outcomes: An Application to Forest Protection in Thailand," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 84(3), pages 845-876, March.
    12. Miteva, Daniela A. & Pattanayak, Subhrendu K., 2021. "The effectiveness of protected areas in the context of decentralization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    13. Liu, Yan & Chen, Xi & Yan, Zhijun, 2019. "Depression in the House: The Effects of Household Air Pollution from Solid Fuel Use in China," IZA Discussion Papers 12654, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Noemi Kreif & Richard Grieve & Rosalba Radice & Zia Sadique & Roland Ramsahai & Jasjeet S. Sekhon, 2012. "Methods for Estimating Subgroup Effects in Cost-Effectiveness Analyses That Use Observational Data," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 32(6), pages 750-763, November.
    15. Do, Manh Hung & Nguyen, Trung Thanh & Grote, Ulrike, 2023. "Land consolidation, rice production, and agricultural transformation: Evidence from household panel data for Vietnam," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 157-173.
    16. Federico Biagi & Daniele Bondonio & Alberto Martini, 2015. "Counterfactual Impact Evaluation of Enterprise Support Programmes. Evidence from a Decade of Subsidies to Italian Firm," ERSA conference papers ersa15p1619, European Regional Science Association.
    17. Bono, Pierre-Henri & David, Quentin & Desbordes, Rodolphe & Py, Loriane, 2022. "Metro infrastructure and metropolitan attractiveness," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    18. Zichen Deng & Maarten Lindeboom, 2021. "Early-life Famine Exposure, Hunger Recall and Later-life Health," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 21-054/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    19. Leah Warfield Smith & Randall Lee Rose & Alex R. Zablah & Heath McCullough & Mohammad “Mike” Saljoughian, 2023. "Examining post-purchase consumer responses to product automation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 530-550, May.
    20. Baron, Opher & Callen, Jeffrey L. & Segal, Dan, 2023. "Does the bullwhip matter economically? A cross-sectional firm-level analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-38073-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.