A review of methods to measure and monitor historical carbon emissions from forest degradation

This article aims to support developing countries in the implementation of REDD+ activities by providing an overview and review of methods to measure and monitor carbon emissions from forest degradation. It focuses on historical periods in order to provide insight into the historical reference for degradation under REDD+ activities. Measuring forest degradation and related forest carbon stock changes is more complicated and more costly than measuring deforestation. The national emissions from forest degradation result from combining activity data and emission factors for each forest and degradation type, as indicated in the IPCC methodology. Measuring historical forest degradation involves further challenges. Historical degradation is important for quantifying a country's potential reduction in emissions. For certain degradation activities, data might be collected from the records of companies that performed the activities. For example, records of wood volume extracted in selective logging activities could be considered.