پژوهشهای آبخیزداری (Dec 2023)
Economic Analysis of Soil Carbon Sequestration Capability in the National Bamou Park, Fars Province
Abstract
IntroductionCarbon dioxide gas, produced from fossil fuels in industrial centres and near big cities, has a significant effect on climate change and global warming. Sequestration of carbon in plants and soil of protected areas, especially national natural parks, is the simplest and most economical way to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. The National Bamou Park, with an area of 46,913 hectares near the industrial centres of Shiraz, Zarghan, Maroodasht and Abbarik, provided a good chance for carbon sequestration. In this research economic analysis of this park's soil carbon sequestration capability in 2022 was done.Materials and MethodsBased on vegetation cover and geomorphological conditions, 20 and 5 locations inside and outside the park were selected for sampling. Composite soil samples were taken from the 25 profiles with a depth of 30 cm length and width of 20 cm. The Wallcly-Black method was used to determine the percentage of soil organic carbon in the laboratory. The economic evaluation of the sequestered carbon was done using the damage cost avoided method at three levels: low estimate based on the values of trade in the Prototype Carbon Fund, medium estimate based on anticipated values in the future European Union carbon trading scheme and high estimate based on the damage cost assessment made by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.ResultsBased on the results, the average measures of carbon sequestered in the soil of the lands inside and outside the park were 40.05 and 21.75 tons per hectare, respectively. Based on the t-test, the average carbon sequestered inside and outside the park significantly differs at 1%. The average economic value of avoided damage related to carbon sequestration per hectare of land inside the park at low, medium and high levels are 123.12, 410.41 and 3283.26 million rials, respectively. The corresponding amounts outside the park are 66.86, 222.88 and 1783.04 million rials. The average economic value of sequestered carbon in the soil of each hectare of land inside and outside the park, based on the t-test, has a significant difference at the level of 1%.Conclusions and RecommendationsThe suitable conditions of vegetation and soil of Bamou National Park have caused this park to have a high economic value because of the environmental services of carbon sequestration in the soil and absorption of carbon dioxide gas. Thus, it is possible the economic value of such services is considered in financial calculations, and all or part of it is allocated for the protection and expansion of these parks. An important point about the economic value of the parks and forest ecosystems services is the possibility of buying and selling carbon sequestered or carbon dioxide gas emitted into the atmosphere. For this purpose, it is suggested to pay attention to the legal frameworks and necessary infrastructures for creating an applied market of carbon sequestration and carbon dioxide emission at the national and regional levels. In addition, concerning the natural resources of Fars province and the criteria of international climate change agreements, it is possible to use foreign capital to help create and expand national parks and forest ecosystems as greenhouse gas reservoirs. Therefore, it is suggested to use these legal agreements to attract credit from international organizations.
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