Natural climate solutions versus bioenergy: Can carbon benefits of natural succession compete with bioenergy from short rotation coppice?

摘要: Short rotation plantations are often considered as holding vast potentials for future global bioenergy supply. In contrast to raising biomass harvests in forests, purpose-grown does not interfere with forest carbon (C) stocks. Provided that agricultural land can be diverted from food and feed production without impairing security, energy on current appear a beneficial option terms of renewable, climate-friendly However, instead supporting plantations, could also devoted natural succession. It then acts long-term C sink which results benefits. We here compare the strength succession arable saving effects plantations. Using geographically explicit data cropland distribution among climate ecological zones, regionally specific accumulation rates calculated IPCC default methods values. savings given range displacement factors (DFs), acknowledging varying efficiency routes technologies fossil fuel displacement. A uniform spatial pattern is assumed timeframes 20 100 years. For many parameter settings-in particular, longer high DFs-bioenergy yields higher cumulative than Still, if woody displaces liquid transport fuels or gas-based electricity generation, competitive even superior 20-50 This finding has strong implications environmental policies: Freeing worthwhile low-cost solution co-benefits biodiversity other ecosystem services. considerable risk, however, stock losses (i.e., emissions) due disturbances conversion at later time.