Examine Agricultural Land Use Practices and Their Effects on Carbon Storage and Flux in the United States

Abstract

The terrestrial ecosystem has provided a net carbon sink, equal to 20% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from industrial activities in the past three decades, yet many land use activities, mainly agriculture, can drastically change natural land carbon flux. We worked with Resources for the Future (RFF) on the Carbon and Land Use Model (CALM) that helps with evaluating the effects of policy decisions on land use and relevant carbon flux changes. To evaluate potential approaches for estimating accurate carbon fluxes from agricultural land use practices, our team first conducted literature review to ascertain carbon flux from different land use changes along with detailed examination of the EPA GHG Emission inventory report 2021 and the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. Then, we identified and assessed data knowledge gaps in existing methods of emission estimation and carbon fluxes modeling. Finally, recommendations were provided to RFF on how the CALM model can be further developed and utilized.