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Deforestation Simulation Models for Carbon Offset Projects: Criteria and Recommendations

This research article discusses the criteria and recommendations to confirm deforestation simulation models for carbon offset projects, focusing on the Figure of Merit (FOM) metric suggested by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). The current VCS criteria may not accurately assess deforestation models, and this study proposes three improvements for the next version of the VCS. The article includes a case study on deforestation in Bolivia and highlights the importance of accurately simulating carbon disturbance. The findings reveal the need for revisions in the VCS to ensure accuracy in estimating deforestation quantities and their impact on carbon disturbance.

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Deforestation Simulation Models for Carbon Offset Projects: Criteria and Recommendations

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  1. Criteria To Confirm Deforestation Simulation Models For Carbon Offset Projects Robert Gilmore Pontius Jr Geography Professor at Clark University Visit: www.clarku.edu/~rpontius Contact: rpontius@clarku.edu Read: Pontius Jr, Robert Gilmore. 2018. Criteria to Confirm Models that Simulate Deforestation and Carbon Disturbance. Land 7(3): 1-14. Thank: United States National Science Foundation for grant OCE-1637630.

  2. Main Points • The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) recommends the Figure of Merit (FOM) as a metric to confirm deforestation simulation models that generate baselines for reducing carbon emissions due to deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). • The current VCS criteria could allow models that are less accurate than random allocation of deforestation and could prohibit models that accurately simulate carbon disturbance. • I recommend three improvement for the next version of the VCS.

  3. Bolivia case study Deforestation accelerated from calibration to confirmation period Distance to previous deforestation influences simulated future allocation

  4. Simulated deforestation during confirmation Proximity allocation Misses, Hits and False Alarms

  5. Simulated deforestation during confirmation Lowest Carbon allocation False Alarms are farther from Misses

  6. Simulated deforestation during confirmation Highest Carbon allocation False Alarms are even farther from Misses

  7. Total Operating Characteristic shows Hits, Misses, and False Alarms at several quantities. Full View Zoomed In

  8. Figure of Merit = Hits / (Misses + Hits + False Alarms)

  9. VCS requires FOM at extrapolated quantity > % deforestation during calibration period Full View Zoomed In

  10. Leaf graph shows that quantity has more influence than allocation on carbon disturbance Full View Zoomed In

  11. FOM does not necessarily indicate accuracy of carbon disturbance Full View Zoomed In

  12. Recommendations for next version of VCS • The required FOM should be at the true deforestation quantity. • The required FOM should be greater than percentage deforestation during the confirmation period. • The requirements should use leaf graphs to reveal the influence of simulated deforestation on carbon disturbance.

  13. Conclusions • The Figure of Merit might be an appropriate metric for accuracy of deforestation depending on the research question. • Version 1.1 of the VCS could permit deforestation allocations that are less accurate than random concerning deforestation, while the VCS criteria ignore the accuracy concerning carbon disturbance. • The next version of the VCS should have three specific revisions as described by Pontius Jr, Robert Gilmore. 2018. Criteria to Confirm Models that Simulate Deforestation and Carbon Disturbance. Land 7(3): 1-14. available for free at www.clarku.edu/~rpontius or by writing to rpontius@clarku.edu.

  14. Fixed sizes of error Full View Zoomed In

  15. Fixed values of FOM Full View Zoomed In

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