Carbon

The InVEST Carbon Storage and Sequestration model estimates the current amount of carbon stored in a landscape and values the amount of sequestered carbon over time. First it aggregates the biophysical amount of carbon stored in four carbon pools (aboveground living biomass, belowground living biomass, soil, and dead organic matter) based on land use/land cover (LULC) maps provided by users. If the user provides a future LULC map, the carbon sequestration component of the model estimates expected change in carbon stocks over time. This portion of the model values the amount of carbon sequestered as an environmental service using additional data on the market value or social cost of carbon, its annual rate of change, and a discount rate. The carbon model can also optionally perform scenario analysis according to the Reducing Emissions from Forest Degradation and Deforestation (REDD) and REDD+ frameworks.