NFCMARS outputs

The major outputs of the National Forest Carbon Monitoring, Accounting and Reporting System (NFCMARS) include the National greenhouse gases (GHG) inventory report and policy development support. The Canadian Forest Service uses NFCMARS to contribute estimates of forest carbon emissions and removals in Canada’s managed forests. These estimates include emissions and removals associated with land conversion to and from forests.

National GHG Inventory report

To fulfill its reporting obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Canada must prepare an annual national inventory report detailing the country’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is responsible for the development and publication of this report. The report covers emissions and removals in all sectors of Canada’s economy including Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Uses.

Policy development support

Climate change and GHG emission reduction targets create challenges for the forest sector. However, unlike other sectors, the forest sector can provide carbon “sinks” to offset GHG emissions from other sectors. Forest carbon sinks are difficult to measure and developing policies that encourage good carbon management while reinforcing the sustainability and competitiveness of the forest sector is challenging. A good understanding of forest carbon dynamics and the factors that control the forest carbon cycle is required.

Our forest carbon accounting team works in close collaboration with federal, provincial and territorial government policy makers to ensure that systematic, reliable and verifiable science supports forest policy development. We provide relevant and timely scientific information to ensure that complex scientific issues are synthesized and considered during the policy development process.

For more information contact: Mark Hafer