Risk assessment and buffer pool for afforestation projects under the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming regulation

A grided dataset (35 km resolution) containing the risk assessment of natural disturbances in forests and the corresponding buffer pool contribution for carbon farming projects under the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation. The data is used to assess the risk of reversal of afforestation projects and the buffer pool size reported in the delegated acts. The dataset integrates multiple risk indicators for a number of different tree species. These include current species presence, species suitability under RCP 4.5 climate projections, current forest natural disturbance regimes, alongside estimates of above-ground biomass loss due to natural disturbance events and the corresponding CRCF buffer pool contribution. Below a full description of the dataset variables can be found. In addition, two supplementary files are provided: A PDF document describing the methodology and providing a detailed description of the dataset. A CSV table summarising aggregated buffer pool estimates for combinations of bioregion, forest type, and disturbance risk. This data is provided as supporting evidence only. Disclaimer: This dataset is under ongoing development. It is currently provided for testing and exploratory purposes. Use with caution, as its structure, content, and coverage are subject to change in future updates. Geopackage sturcture: Layer Field Description species_data hex_id Unique identifier of the hexagon bioregion European biogeographic regions forest_type The forest categories broadleaf, conifer or mixed species Name of the species presence Boolean indicating presence/absence according to the European Atlas of Forest Tree Species. suitability Indicates whether, for a given hex location, the species is unsuitable to the current and/or future climate, will become suitable to the future climate, or has stable (current & future) suitability. forest_type_data hex_id Unique identifier of the hexagon bioregion European biogeographic regions as defined in EEA products available at this permanent link3 forest_type Broadleaf, conifer or mixed event_risk ‘Low’, ‘Medium’ or ‘High’ return_period The average time between natural disturbance events in a given area biomass_loss_percentage Estimated percentage of biomass lost to a disturbance. MC_mean The mean value of the difference between the forest growth model with disturbances, across the Monte Carlo simulations, and the reference run without disturbance. MC_stddev The standard deviation of the difference between the forest growth model with disturbances, across the Monte Carlo simulations, and the reference run of the model without disturbance. BP_contribution The Buffer Pool contribution. Determined as the sum of MC_mean and MC_stddev. The minimum buffer pool contribution value is 10%. agroforestry hex_id Unique identifier of the hexagon bioregion European biogeographic regions forest type Broadleaf, conifer or mixed BP_contribution The Buffer Pool contribution. Determined as half the value of BP_contribution for broadleaf forests at a given hex. The minimum buffer pool value is 10%.