China explores afforestation to boost carbon sinks

China will construct a pilot demonstration area of bamboo forests in Zhejiang Province to promote the expansion of carbon sinks, according to a seminar themed "Forestry Carbon Sinks" held at the China Pavilion during the UN Climate Change Conference in Doha, Qatar, on November 29.

China's exploration of sustainable bamboo management to address climate change has been ongoing for years and has already made numerous breakthroughs in the field, said Liu Nuyun, executive deputy director of the Climate Change Office in China's State Forestry Administration.

During the seminar, he primarily announced the official release of China's Bamboo Carbon Afforestation Methodology, which is the first of its kind in China and is deemed a globally advanced scientific result. It has established technical standards for the bamboo forests carbon sequestration projects taking place across the nation and can serve as reference material for other countries, Liu said.

Initiated by the Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, the methodology was developed by the joint efforts of both domestic and foreign experts and has been repeatedly appraised during international meetings, including the Asia Pacific Forestry Week and several side events of the 2011 Durban Climate Change Conference, according to Liu.

At the conclusion of the seminar, representatives of China Green Carbon Foundation, International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University and People's Government of Anji County, Zhejiang Province, signed a framework agreement on the construction of a demonstration area for bamboo forests.

The project will conduct further research on the development of both carbon sink and the carbon sequestration measurements of bamboo products in order to increase the planters' income through carbon transactions, as well as make constructive contributions to the mitigation and adaptation to global climate change.

Several other government officials and scholars spoke about the practice and innovation of forestry carbon management in China during the seminar, which was attended by more than 90 delegates from the participating countries as well as international organizations.