This has been done to maintain transparency while work continues on refining the land clearing methodologies. Land Use Change and Forestry Changes in the amount of carbon biomass in vegetation and the soil as a result of human use of the land are accounted for in the Land Use Change and Forestry sector. Many of the activities in this sector have not been well documented, although commercial forestry is an exception. In addition, the sector is unusual in that emissions in any year include the result of actions that happened years before. For example, land clearing can cause emissions of carbon dioxide from the disturbed soil for 10 years or more after the event.
Emissions resulting from land clearing are particularly uncertain.
Estimates are being revised as improved data becomes available. There will be major differences between the annual Inventory and the Kyoto Protocol accounting rules. The 1990 baseline calculation for the Kyoto Protocol does not include forest sinks. In the case of Australia, emissions from land clearing will be included in the baseline. Uptake of carbon dioxide in new forests planted after 1990 and emissions from land clearing after 1990 will be included in accounting for the Kyoto Protocol commitment period from 2008 to 2012.