Open-Source Remote Sensing Determination of Carbon Emissions From Tropical Deforestation Scenarios in Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Remote Sensing of carbon forestry is the act and science of collecting and analyzing geographically referenced data on the biophysical characteristics of forest carbon fluxes without physical contact. Therefore, the overall objective of this paper is to quantify carbon emissions from tropical deforestation scenarios in Southeast Nigeria. Methodologically, tree cover gain-and-loss status, including rates of deforestation-related carbon emissions, was analyzed in the study area using the open-source remote sensing tool of the Global Forest Watch (GFW), managed by the World Resources Institute (WRI). From the results of the analysis, Nigeria’s Southeastern region experienced forest-related greenhouse gas fluxes amounting to 1.20 megatons of CO₂ emissions (CO2-eq)/year during the period between 2001 and 2022. This is because the study area lost 39.3 kha of tree cover within the two decades, which is equivalent to a 12% decline since 2000. Bushfires were responsible for 0.13% of tree cover loss in the SE zone between 2001 and 2022. Specifically, the Southeast lost 52 hectares (ha) of tree cover due to bushfires between 2001 and 2022, and 39.2 kha from all other driving factors of deforestation such as logging, farming, and construction projects. Due to various tree cover loss scenarios, the Southeast region of Nigeria released 909 kt of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually on average between 2001 and 2022. Over the course of these two decades, 20.0 Mt of CO2 gas was released into the environment. In conclusion, the Global Forest Watch platform is a viable open-source remote sensing tool for monitoring emissions from tropical deforestation scenarios in Southeast Nigeria. Based on the findings of this research, it is therefore recommended that there is a need for the subnational governments within the zone to intensify intervention policies on bamboo forestry towards mitigating the consequential impacts of carbon emissions resulting from tropical deforestation.