Towards a modular, multi-ecosystem monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) framework for soil organic carbon stock change assessment

Abstract

Soils are the largest terrestrial reservoir of organic carbon, yet they are easily degraded. Consistent and accurate monitoring of changes in soil organic carbon stocks and net greenhouse gas emissions, reporting, and their verification is key to facilitate investment in sustainable land use practices that maintain or increase soil organic carbon stocks, as well as to incorporate soil organic carbon sequestration in national greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Building up on an initial review of monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) schemes with a focus on croplands, grasslands, and forestlands we develop a framework for a modular, scalable MRV system. We then provide an inventory and classification of selected MRV methodologies and subsequently “score” them against a list of key characteristics. It appears that the main challenge in developing a unified MRV system concerns the monitoring component. Finally, we present a conceptual workflow that shows how a prototype for an operational, modular multi-ecosystem MRV tool could be systematically built.

Keywords

• Carbon sequestration
• climate change mitigation
• sustainable land management
• carbon accounting
• monitoring framework