Land use and climate change

There is a good consensus among both researchers and policy-makers that better land management is needed to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. With key focus on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining opportunities for sustainable bio-based business, Luke’s research on integrated land use covers all land use.

For decades, our forest related research has had a strong backbone in forest inventory data, which in its accuracy is unique even on a global scale. Inventories of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are based on forest inventories, scientific models and statistics. Based on latest scientific knowledge and constantly developed according to IPCC guidance, the methodology calculates the emissions of land use and, thus, helps manage the land sustainably. Supporting the IPCC’s work, Luke has also contributed to, for example, the report of 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.

Luke’s contribution to the regulation in the LULUCF sector is based on the GHG inventory data and estimates. An essential part of LULUCF regulation is calculating national reference levels of forests. On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Luke conducted the technical calculations for and published the calculation report in early-2019.

Luke’s research on forests and climate change is multidisciplinary and spreads across extensive global networks. In addition to land use optimization, it covers themes such as the impact of climate change on forest resources and regeneration; the impact of climate change on forest regeneration, forest cultivation and forestry; and the impact of potential new requirements and practices on the balance of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in forests.

In the land use sector, Luke also contributes strongly to optimized use of agricultural lands. Continuously developed in collaboration with farmers, our research based tools for farmers

SOMPA

Purpose: SOMPA develops ecologically and economically sound methods to manage organic soil fields and forests while simultaneously mitigating climate change. It produces new scientific knowledge of the mechanisms that regulate methane and carbon dioxide emissions from peatlands with the aim of reducing the emissions in an economic way. Moreover, the project drafts greenhouse gas (GHG) emission scenarios for the forest industries, peatland management and trends in the human food chain. Impact: Based on the scenarios, the decision makers in climate politics will be able to compare the combined mitigation effects and the sufficiency of different emission mitigation scenarios. Partners: 5 Financier: The Academy of Finland www.luke.fi/sompa/en/ take into account numerous field parcel characteristics, production potential and consider environmental footprint. Furthermore, a comprehensive interactive map of all biomass in Finland – Biomass Atlas – has been created in collaboration with other research institutes and universities to support decision making and new, sustainable investments.

The challenge of reconciling various land-use modes is how to synthesize local, scientific and other expert knowledge, and how to select relevant knowledge for decision making. Interdisciplinary understanding of different affecting factors helps reach a solution that is acceptable for

CANEMURE

Purpose: The project will provide novel climate change mitigation concepts, as well as increased capacity and enhanced cooperation between various stakeholders. Impact: The information gathered by verifying emission reduction potential of croplands and forests on peat soil will be used in land management guidance. The project will also communicate information to the stakeholders and demonstrate feasibility of the proposed management practices. Partners: 21 Financier: Life Climate Change Adaptation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland www.luke.fi/en/projects/canemure/

OPAL-Life

Purpose: The project aims at mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture following the principle of sustainable intensification, in other words, combining environmental benefits, profitability of the farm and social aspects. Impact: Optimizing the use of arable land by targeting inputs such as labor, fertilizers and plant protection, towards the land where the response is the highest shifting production away from the non-responsive land is expected to result in higher yields, better economic returns and environmental benefits. Partners: 6 + pilot farms

Financier: LIFE Climate Change Mitigation all. Moreover, Luke studies various incentives which would support land-owners and, thus, help introduce more environmentally friendly land use practices.