Examining Carbon Challenges in the Western Canadian Forestry Industry A Review of Current Forest Carbon Accounting Practices and Forest Management Issues

Abstract
Considering the increased international emphasis on the role of forests in climate change mitigation efforts, it is important to examine the challenges facing forest management regimes as they begin integrating regulations for forest carbon and climate change values. Large-scale natural disturbances and a business-first regulatory approach have contributed to forests in British Columbia and Alberta devolving from perennial carbon sinks into net carbon emission sources. An examination of provincial forest management regulations and policies suggests that current forestry regulations in western Canada don’t adequately consider forest carbon issues and may fall short of international sustainable forest management standards. This issue is highlighted by the permissive regulation of slash burning, a practice which simultaneously destroys usable forest fibre while significantly contributing to forest sector emissions. Potential regulatory solutions to slash burning are examined, and potentially misleading transparency issues regarding carbon accounting practices in the LULUCF sector of Canada’s National Inventory Report are discussed.
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