REDUCING EMISSIONS

Methodology for assessing carbon stock for REDD+ project in India (COURTESY: Ministry of environment Govt of India)

Introduction

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) is an international

 initiative that was started at CoP-15 (Copenhagen) in 2009. Forests store a great deal 

of the world’s carbon; and an estimated 12–18% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions 

come from land use change – mainly deforestation and forest degradations. REDD has emerged 

as a central strategy in efforts to reduce global greenhouse gases emissions. By 

creating financial incentives to reduce forest-sourced greenhouse gases, REDD 

projects could generate funding from developed to developing countries. This 

can yield significant sustainable development benefits, and may generate a new 

financing stream for sustainable forest management in developing countries 

such as India. REDD+ goes beyond deforestation and forest degradation, 

and includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and 

enhancement of forest carbon stocks (www.un-redd.org).

India’s submissions to the United Nations Framework Convention on 

Climate Change (UNFCCC) have consistently reiterated its position to get 

recognition and encouragement for conservation, sustainable management of 

forests, and increase in forest cover as a potential policy approaches under 

REDD+. India has maintained that all countries engaged in efforts to maintain 

and increase forest carbon stocks in their broader national policy framework of 

conservation and sustainable management of forests should be rewarded. The 

REDD+ approach incorporates important benefits for improving livelihoods, 

biodiversity conservation, and food security services. Recently, India submitted 

the methodological guidance for a REDD+ project to the UNFCCC, where 

it states that stratification of forest areas, Tree-outside-Forest (ToF), crown 

density classes, sampling design, precision of estimates, protocols for collecting 

sample data, and models and equations used in computing forest carbon stocks 

will form an essential part of accounting the report. All equations, growth, 

and biomass yield models used in the computation of forest carbon stocks 

will be based on published records, and freely and readily accessible to all 

for evaluation. Developing countries will have the option to choose all or any 

of the pools of forest carbon stocks. Indigenous peoples, local communities, 

civil societies and other interested entities will be fully involved and informed 

about the technological, methodological, policy, and financial aspects of the 

Measuring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) processes and procedures. The 

objective of this paper is to examine the methodological issues such as scale, 

baseline reference, measuring, monitoring, and verifications of the REDD+ 

project in context to India. India has maintained that all countries engaged in efforts to 

maintain and increase forest carbon stocks in their broader national policy framework 

of conservation and sustainable management of forests should be rewarded. 4

Methodological issues 

Scale

Scale is one of the most critical policy issues of REDD+ project in the 

country since other important parameters such as base line reference level, 

permanence, leakages, monitoring, and investment all depends on it. While 

implementing the REDD+ project, a key question that arises is at what scale 

(level) should the project be implemented in the country? Should it be at the 

national level, or subnational level (project level) or mix of both (nested or 

hybrid approach). There are various arguments in favour and against for all 

these options. At the national level, favourable points are it allows broad set 

of policies and creates country ownership. National approach acknowledges 

tackling deforestation and forest degradation more, effectively which would 

require policy amendments in the country.

However, there are various serious constrains while implementing the 

REDD+ project at the national level, such as the lack of strong federal central 

government systems in many developing and under developed countries. 

Management of the project at a national level would be another constrain in 

larger countries such as India. It requires large number of skilled and trained 

forestry professionals across the nation. There would be higher transaction cost 

due to complex bureaucratic procedures and various complex processes at a 

nation-level approach.

In case of a sub-national approach, which is more suitable for a large country 

like India, individuals, communities, NGOs, civil societies, private companies, 

and national or local governments can implement REDD+ activities in a 

defined geographical area or at a project scale. Smaller projects can help in 

building capacity at the grassroots level, and spread knowledge and awareness. 

Smaller projects can clearly define project stakeholders and distribute the 

benefits more efficiently, and there are good possibilities of attracting private 

investors due to simple processes and well-defined stakeholders.

There are some negative arguments that smaller projects might not fulfil 

the emission reduction targets at a national or global level. Sometimes, it is 

difficult to monitor leakages on a small scale, and the cost of monitoring would 

be relatively higher than a bigger project.

A hybrid, or nested, approach tries to include positives from both the abovementioned approaches. The hybrid approach suggests implementing REDD+ 

policy at the project level first and then extending it at a national level. 

Building the capacity of various sub-national stakeholders would be helpful in 

implementing the policy at national level. Credits generated could be shared 

between the project proponent and the central authority.

There are various other options suggested by researchers from time to time. 

In one case, it might be possible to sub-divide one national project into a 

number of small projects and then implement them with the participation of 

local communities and private entities. However, a more feasible scale for the 

country would be at the subnational level, keeping in view the various positive 

points of the project-level approach. Initially, some projects could be started 

at the project level, in order to build the capacities of various stakeholders – 

including the Forest staff at grass root level – and then implement it at the 

It requires large number of skilled and trained forestry professionals 

across the nation. There would be higher transaction cost due to complex bureaucratic 

procedures and various complex processes at a nation-level approach.5

defined geographical area. From the Indian context, village forests, community 

forest resources, forest areas assigned to JFM and other areas of a similar 

nature may be undertaken as a unit for implementing the REDD+ project. 

Since there is no mechanism to transfer the money generated from carbon 

trading to the community, it would be appropriate to have smaller project 

areas, so that the fund would reach the community smoothly and efficiently.  

Baseline reference level

Baseline refers to the forest cover of an area at a certain period against which 

progress of the REDD+ project interventions can be measured. Baseline 

reference level is another key parameter for implementing the REDD+ project, 

and assessing its overall impact in terms of reduced GHGs and tradable carbon 

credits. There are various arguments in setting up the baseline reference level 

for the REDD+ project. In this case, if a baseline were established based on 

data from recent years only, it would discourage countries who have already 

made efforts for checking the deforestation rates. Such baseline will not 

yield any significant credits for them, hence would demotivate countries to 

participate in the process. India favours a baseline reference level of 1990, 

while countries such as Brazil and Latin America favour average of historical 

10 years period. Baseline reference level should depend upon the availability 

of the data. India favours the 1990 baseline due to availability of GIS, RS, and 

Forestry data for the entire country. India has one of the most advanced forest 

mapping programmes in the world, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) conducts 

a biennial cycle of forest and tree cover assessments throughout the nation. In 

addition, larger activities under the gamut of Sustainable Forest Management 

(SFM) started during the 1990s within the country. 

Monitoring

Regular monitoring of the carbon stock is very important for the REDD+ 

project. However, there are various issues in monitoring and verifying the 

REDD+ project; such as, there is no uniform defining of various terms like 

forests, deforestation, and degradation, across the globe. There is a lack of 

uniformly agreed density classification, which makes it difficult to monitor the 

progress and effectiveness of REDD+ projects across the nations. There is a 

lack of historical data, technical skills for field measurements, carbon stock 

calculations, and interpretation of satellite imageries in most of the world’s 

developing and under-developed nations. Besides, monitoring and verification 

requires huge expense. In India, there is an urgent need to organize capacity

building programmes of local communities and forest staff at the project level 

on methodologies for assessing carbon, in order to ensure minimal transaction 

cost for the preparation of REDD+ projects.

Leakages

Leakages are defined as changes in GHG emissions outside the project boundary due 

to project interventions. Leakages can reduce the impact of the project 

significantly, hence it should be addressed properly while implementing the

 REDD+ project. In India, the primary sources for leakages from the forest 

are fuel wood, fodder, and timber extraction. Fuel wood leakages can be reduced 

by deploying energy-efficient mechanisms, such as renewable energy In India, there

 is an urgent need to organize capacity-building programmes of local communities and 

forest staff at the project level on methodologies for assessing carbon, in order to 

ensure minimal transaction cost for the preparation of REDD+ projects.6 Fuel wood

 requirements could be tackled through the installation of improved cooking stoves,

 biogas plants, 

LPG, and various other means at the village level. Sources – especially solar energy

 sources – and providing alternate employment to the people who were dependant on fuel

 wood extraction for their livelihood. 

Fuel wood requirements could be tackled through the installation of improved cooking 

stoves, bio-gas plants, LPG, and various other means at the village level. Leakages

 in the forms of fuel wood and fodder can be managed through properly implementing

 the management prescriptions provided in the working 

plans and various other forestry documents, and cultivating nutritive grass 

species such as Barseem and Napier at private farms. Tree species of fodder 

grass such as Bhimal, Oak, Neem, and Bauhinia should be encouraged. The 

leakage of timber could be managed through the proper implementation of 

silviculture and the management techniques provided in the working plans 

of the respective forest divisions. In addition, conservation practices and 

sustainable harvesting would be encouraged. 

Carbon stock assessment

India has more than 70 million hectares under forest cover and added around 

3 million hectares of forest cover and ToF over the last decade. India has 

a good set of historical data of its forest area and thus, may propose the 

methodology, which is based on the Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic 

Information System (GIS) followed by ground trothing. The benchmark year 

may be considered as 1990 or 1991 depending upon the availability of the 

satellite imageries and other forestry data set. Forest cover map of 1990 and 

2012 (Project year) may be prepared using Landsat satellite data. The area 

would be divided into homogenous strata based on forest types (or species 

composition) and canopy density through interpretation of satellite imageries. 

It is proposed to classify the satellite image into three density-classes viz., 

“D 1” with tree canopy density between 10 to 40%, “D 2” with tree canopy 

density between 40 to 70%, and “D 3” with tree canopy density of more 

than 70%. Species composition, if not discernible from satellite data, can be 

determined from ground trothing. Field inventory data would be collected 

based on appropriate sampling design. A combination of systematic and 

stratified random sampling may be proposed based on methodology of the 

Forest Survey of India (FSI, 2011). In case of the project based approach, 

where average project size area is small (approximately 100 to 1000 ha), the 

entire project area may be divided into grids of 100m x 100m (1ha). Each grid 

can be assigned a unique ID and classified them according to the stratum it 

represents. Sampling intensity and sample plot size would be determined as 

per standard statistical tools. Field data such as project area, legal status of 

the project area, rights and concessions, topographical details, soil types and 

quality, site quality, status, forest types, species composition, number of stems 

of each species, girth, height, number of stems in each diameter class, and soil 

carbon data would need to be collected. Above ground carbon-stock would be 

calculated by taking the local volume equations prepared by FSI. (FSI, 1996). 

Below-ground carbon and carbon in the branches would be estimated using 

default values provided by IPCC Good Practices Guidelines. 

Carbon stock in each grid would be determined based on field data, and 

simultaneously, carbon stock per hectare would be estimated for each stratum. 

This would help in estimating carbon stock in the site for the benchmark 

year. The grids where an increase in canopy density is observed with respect 7

to benchmark year will indicate additionality due to Sustainable Forest 

Management (SFM) initiatives (or other effective management practices). 

Similarly, a decrease in density over the years would indicate leakage of carbon 

from the area due to unsustainable management practices and/or anthropogenic 

pressures. Carbon estimation from soil, woody litter, and decompose material 

would be estimated based on the present data, and it can be further compared 

in future projects of the same area. Socio-economic data including dependency 

on forest produce (firewood, small timber etc.) from the adjoining villages would 

be collected through conducting household surveys and group discussions. 

Such data would help in understanding the anthropogenic demands and 

further improvement of management interventions for SFM.

Remote sensing and GIS based methodology will help in estimating 

carbon stock of the benchmark year as well as for future temporal estimation 

at periodic intervals. The output generated would help in understanding the 

impact of on-going management practices, suggesting improved practices, and 

supporting decision-making processes. Annual increment data of the dominant 

species from the secondary sources (like Working Plan Document) can be used 

to refine the estimate, particularly in grids where there is no change in the 

density class over the past few years. Such data is needed as, while remote 

sensing data may not show any increase in grids where there is no change in 

canopy density, there would certainly be an increase in carbon stock because 

of annual increments in the above ground woody volume of the tree.  

Carbon estimation from soil, woody litter, and decompose material would be

 estimated  based on the present data, and it can be further compared in future

 projects of the same area. For further details, contact

J V Sharma

Senior Fellow, Forestry and Biodiversity

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)

Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex, 

Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003

Tel. 2468 2100 or 4150 4900, Fax 2468 2144 or

2468 2145 India +91 • Delhi (0) 11

E-mail jv.sharma@teri.res.in

Web www.teriin.org

Mr Subhash Chandra, IFS

DIG (Forest Policy)

Ministry of Environment & Forests,  

Paryavaran Bhavan

CGO Complex, Lodi Road, 

New Delhi 110 003

Telefax: 011-24363974

Email:subhaash.chandra@gmail.com