## Forestry Statistics 2020 Chapter 4: Carbon

Release date: 
24 September 2020 
Coverage: 
United Kingdom Geographical breakdown: 
Country 

Issued by:  
Forest Research 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT 
Enquiries:    
Robert Stagg 0300 067 5238 statistics@forestresearch.gov.uk  
Statistician: 
Sheila Ward 0300 067 5236 
Website:    
www.forestresearch.gov.uk/statistics/ 

 

## Contents

| Introduction 3                                  |     |
|-------------------------------------------------|-----|
| Key findings 4                                  |     |
| 4.1 Forest carbon stock                         | 5   |
| 4.2 Woodland Carbon Code 7                      |     |
| 4.3 Public Opinion of Forestry - climate change |     |
|                                                 |     |
|                                                 |     |
|                                                 |     |

## Introduction

This chapter contains information on: 

- carbon in forests; - the Woodland Carbon Code; and - public attitudes to forestry and climate change.  
Estimates for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are included, where possible, in addition to UK totals. International comparisons of carbon stocks are provided in the International Forestry chapter. Further information on the data sources and methodology used to compile the figures is provided in the Sources chapter. All of the statistics presented in this chapter have been previously released. A copy of all carbon tables can be accessed in spreadsheet format from the Data Downloads web page at www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-andresources/statistics/data-downloads/. In addition to the statistics presented here, information on UK forests and climate change is available from "Combating Climate Change - a role for UK forests" (The Read Report), an independent assessment of the science published in November 2009 and available at www.forestresearch.gov.uk/documents/2062/SynthesisUKAssessmentfinal.pdf. This chapter had previously included statistics on net annual changes in carbon in UK woodlands.  No update is currently available. Historical data have been released by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-greenhouse-gas-emissionsstatistics. 


## Key Findings

The main findings are: 

- The total carbon stock in UK forests is estimated to have increased, from 
around 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 1990 to 4.0 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2020.  
- Around one half (51%) of the total UK forest carbon stock in 2020 is in 
Scotland (2.0 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), 36% in England (1.5 billion tonnes), 8% in Wales (0.3 billion tonnes) and 4% in Northern Ireland (0.2 billion tonnes). 
- A total of 239 projects had been validated to the Woodland Carbon Code 
at 31 March 2020, covering over 12,000 hectares and projected to sequester 4.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over their lifetime.  

## 4.1 Forest Carbon Stock

Forest carbon stock is the amount of carbon that has been sequestered from the atmosphere and is now stored within the forest ecosystem, mainly within living biomass and soil, and to a lesser extent also in dead wood and litter. Table 4.1a presents estimates of UK forest carbon stock that were compiled in 2018 for submission to international organisations.  The total carbon stock stored within UK forests is estimated to have increased, around 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 1990 to 4.0 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2020 (Table 4.1a). The carbon stored in forest soils accounts for around 70% of total forest carbon stock. 

million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent 
  
1990 
2000 
2010 
2015 
2020  
Carbon in above-ground biomass 
376 
482 
586 
630 
674 
Carbon in below-ground biomass 
135 
174 
211 
227 
242 
Carbon in dead wood 
130 
138 
143 
147 
149 
Carbon in litter 
165 
175 
182 
188 
190 
Soil carbon 1, 3 
2,366 
2,533 
2,629 
2,726 
2,761 
Total forest carbon 
3,172 3,502 3,750 3,918 
4,016 

 
Source: Forest Research Notes 
1. Carbon in soil depth 0 to 100 cm. 2. To convert tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) to tonnes carbon (C), multiply by 
12/44. 
3. Changes in soil carbon stocks over the period can be attributed to changes in UK forest 
area. 
 These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.  For further information see the Sources chapter. 



Around one half (51%) of the estimated total UK forest carbon stock in 2020 is in Scotland (2.0 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), 36% in England (1.5 billion tonnes), 8% in Wales (0.3 billion tonnes) and 4% in Northern Ireland (0.2 billion tonnes). 

million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent 
 
England **Wales** 
Scotland Northern 
Ireland 
UK 
Carbon in aboveground biomass 
338 
64 
259 
13 
674 
Carbon in belowground biomass 
122 
23 
93 
5 
242 
Carbon in dead wood  
61 
14 
68 
5 
149 
Carbon in litter 
80 
18 
85 
7 
190 
Soil carbon1 
864 
217 
1,545 
134 
2,761 
Total forest carbon 
1,465 
337 
2,050 
165 
4,016 

 
Source: Forest Research Notes 
1. Carbon in soil depth 0 to 100 cm. 2. To convert tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) to tonnes carbon (C), multiply by 

12/44. 
 These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.  For further information see the Sources chapter. 


## 4.2 Woodland Carbon Code

The Woodland Carbon Code is a voluntary standard, initiated in July 2011, for woodland creation projects that make claims about the carbon they sequester (take out of the atmosphere). All projects must be placed on the UK Woodland Carbon Registry.  Their claims about potential carbon sequestration are validated by an independent certification body.  Validated projects are then verified on a regular basis to confirm the progress of carbon sequestration. Further information on Woodland Carbon Code projects is provided in the Sources chapter and at www.woodlandcarboncode.org.uk/. Table 4.2a provides annual data on projects registered under the Woodland Carbon Code.  The table provides information on the number of projects, area of woodland covered by the projects and the total projected carbon sequestration over the lifetime (up to 100 years) of the projects. A total of 239 projects had been validated (including those that had also been verified) to the Woodland Carbon Code at 31 March 2020, covering around 12 thousand hectares and projected to sequester 4.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over their lifetime. Of the validated projects, 88 were also verified by the end of March 2020. These projects cover around 2.6 thousand hectares and are projected to sequester 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over their lifetime. A total of 363 projects were registered under the Woodland Carbon Code at 31 March 2020, covering around 15 thousand hectares of woodland and projected to sequester 5.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. 


Awaiting 
 
Verified Validated 
only 
validation 
Total 
Number of projects 


March 2013 
0 
36 
69 
105 
March 2014 
0 
67 
135 
202 
March 2015 
0 
100 
99 
199 
March 2016 
1 
121 
108 
230 
March 2017 
3 
140 
107 
250 
March 2018 
37 
119 
83 
239 
March 2019 
70 
117 
79 
266 
March 2020 
88 
151 
124 
363 


Area of woodland (hectares) 
March 2013 
0 
1,488 
2,073 
3,561 
March 2014 
0 
2,824 
12,576 15,401 
March 2015 
0 
3,322 
12,063 15,385 
March 2016 
5 
4,749 
11,087 15,841 
March 2017 
148 
4,993 
11,028 16,170 
March 2018 
1,578 
3,680 
10,868 16,125 
March 2019 
2,404 
5,856 
9,134 17,394 
March 2020 
2,633 
9,372 
2,962 14,967 


Projected carbon sequestration2  
(thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide 
equivalent) 
March 2013 
0 
655 
1,137 
1,792 
March 2014 
0 
1,323 
4,364 
5,687 
March 2015 
0 
1,588 
4,091 
5,679 
March 2016 
2 
2,278 
3,519 
5,799 
March 2017 
79 
2,385 
3,476 
5,940 
 
March 2018 
713 
1,790 
3,285 
5,788 
March 2019 
1,093 
2,331 
2,760 
6,184 
March 2020 
1,207 
3,480 
1,121 
5,809 

 
Source: Provisional Woodland Statistics: 2020 Edition Notes: 
1. Projects can be validated/ verified individually or come together as part of a group. The 
statistics presented here show the number of projects validated or verified whether they were put through the process individually or as part of a group. 
2. Figures for carbon sequestration indicate the total projected sequestration of the projects 
over their lifetime of up to 100 years, and include the amount claimable by a project plus the amount allocated to a shared "buffer" in case of unanticipated losses. 
Awaiting validation: is when a project or group is undergoing assessment by a certification body. Validated: is the initial evaluation of a project or group against the requirements of the Woodland Carbon Code. Upon completion a project/group will receive a 'Validation Opinion Statement'. The project/group will then be certified for a period of up to 5 years. Verified: Verification is the evaluation of a project as it progresses to confirm the amount of CO2 sequestered to date as well as that it continues to meet the requirements of the Code. These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.  For further information see the Sources chapter. 



Together, all validated (including verified) projects were predicted to sequester 3,791 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide in Scotland, 711 thousand tonnes in England, 175 thousand tonnes in Wales and 11 thousand tonnes in Northern Ireland over their lifetime (Table 4.2b). 

 
England 
Wales 
Scotland 
Northern 
Ireland 
UK 
Number of projects 


Awaiting validation 
47 
50 
27 
0 
124 
Validated only  
51 
17 
82 
1 
151 
Verified 
36 
3 
48 
1 
88 
Total validated 
87 
20 
130 
2 
239 
Total 
134 
70 
157 
2 
363 


Area of woodland (hectares) 
Awaiting validation 
748 
464 
1,750 
0 
2,962 
Validated only  
884 
250 
8,224 
14 
9,372 
Verified 
376 
52 
2,196 
9 
2,633 
Total validated 
1,260 
302 
10,420 
23 
12,005 
Total 
2,008 
766 
12,170 
23 14,967 


Projected carbon sequestration2 
(thousand tonnes of 
carbon dioxide equivalent) 
Awaiting validation 
460 
144 
517 
0 
1,121 
Validated only 
503 
143 
2,827 
8 
3,480 
Verified 
208 
33 
963 
3 
1,207 
Total validated 
711 
175 
3,791 
11 
4,687 
Total 
1,171 
319 
4,308 
11 
5,809 

 
Source: Provisional Woodland Statistics: 2020 Edition Notes: 
1. Projects can be validated/ verified individually or come together as part of a group. The 

statistics presented here show the number of projects validated or verified whether they were put through the process individually or as part of a group. 
 

2. Figures for carbon sequestration indicate the total projected sequestration of the projects 
over their lifetime of up to 100 years, and include the amount claimable by a project plus 
the amount allocated to a shared "buffer" in case of unanticipated losses. 
 Awaiting validation: is when a project or group is undergoing assessment by a certification body. Validated: is the initial evaluation of a project or group against the requirements of the Woodland Carbon Code. Upon completion a project/group will receive a 'Validation Opinion Statement'. The project/group will then be certified for a period of up to 5 years. Verified: Verification is the evaluation of a project as it progresses to confirm the amount of CO2 sequestered to date as well as that it continues to meet the requirements of the Code. These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.  For further information see the Sources chapter. 


## 4.3 Public Opinion Of Forestry - Climate Change

Forest Research has conducted similar surveys of public attitudes to forestry and forestry-related issues every two years since 1995.  The most recent set of separate surveys was conducted in 2019 (in Northern Ireland, Wales, and across the UK as a whole) and 2017 (in Scotland).  The full results are available on our website at www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-andresources/statistics/statistics-by-topic/public-opinion-of-forestry/. In the UK survey in 2019, questions were asked to gauge the public's agreement on climate change issues, including on the management of UK forests in response to the threat of climate change (Table 4.3).  Some of the public views presented below do not reflect expert opinion. There were high levels of agreement (respondents stating that they agreed or strongly agreed) with the statements: 

- "A lot more trees should be planted", supported by 88% of the UK public 
in 2019; and  
- "Different types of trees should be planted that will be more suited to 
future climates", supported by 78% in 2019.  
- Conversely, there were much lower levels of agreement with the 
statements: 
- "No action is needed, let nature take its course", supported by 26% in 
2019; and  
- "Trees should not be felled under any circumstances, even if they are 
replaced", supported by 29%.  

percent of respondents who agree or strongly agree 
  
2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 
A lot more trees should be planted 
90 
86 
80 
84 
88 
74 
71 
67 
76 
78 
Different types of trees should be planted that will be more suited to future climates Trees should not be felled in any circumstances, even if they are replaced 
21 
22 
25 
26 
29 
No action is needed, let nature take its course 
21 
18 
22 
24 
26 

 
Source: UK Public Opinion of Forestry Surveys. Notes: 
1. Figures are based on all respondents: weighted totals = 2011 (2,068), 2013 (1,927), 2015 

(1,804), 2017 (2,113), 2019 (2,174). 
2. The range of uncertainty around any result should be no more than ±3.5% in any of the 
years shown.  To compare results over time, a difference of at least 5 percentage points is required to indicate that there is a significant difference. 
 These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.  For further information see the Sources chapter.