Burning Questions: Costing the Impacts of BC’s Wildfires on Carbon Stores
Date
2024
Authors
Tucker, Nathaniel Hope
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Volume Title
Publisher
University of Victoria
Abstract
This study evaluates the impact of wildfires on the carbon sequestration capacity of British Columbia's natural environment, a topic largely overlooked in previous research. By utilizing data from various sources including the Dynamic World Land Use and Land Cover Dataset, the National Burned Area Composite, and a biophysical table of carbon storage, the analysis identifies the causal effects of wildfires on land cover changes and carbon storage. Employing a difference-in-difference methodology, the study estimates the cost of carbon loss attributable to wildfires, shedding light on the significant economic implications of these environmental disturbances. The findings underscore the need for further research to incorporate severity measurements and future projections to better understand the full extent of wildfires' impact on carbon flows
Description
Keywords
Wildfires, carbon sequestration, ecosystem services, British Columbia, land cover changes, social cost of carbon