Mapping Canada's Carbon Landscape was completed in partnership with McMaster University’s Remote Sensing Lab and is generously supported by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. and the Metcalf Foundation:

Mapping Canada's Carbon Landscape was completed in partnership with McMaster University’s Remote Sensing Lab and is generously supported by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. and the Metcalf Foundation:

High-carbon landscapes play an important role in regulating the Earth’s climate by removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in natural ecosystems. If these ecosystems are disturbed, that stored carbon can be released back to the atmosphere, accelerating climate change.

About six per cent of Canada's carbon is stored in vegetation (trees, shrubs, grasses, dead leaves and roots). The remaining 94 percent is found in the top one metre of soil (with 32 per cent of this soil carbon found in peatlands).

High-carbon landscapes play an important role in regulating the Earth’s climate by removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in natural ecosystems. If these ecosystems are disturbed, that stored carbon can be released back to the atmosphere, accelerating climate change.

A new study by WWF-Canada, led by scientists at McMaster University’s Remote Sensing Lab, has measured, for the first time, how much carbon is stored in Canada’s landscapes, and where the biggest stores can be found. The results are staggering: Canada stores a massive 327 Pg (that’s 327 billion tonnes) of carbon in its terrestrial ecosystems — equivalent to about 25 years of human-caused global greenhouse gas emissions at 2019 emission levels. Large carbon storage areas are often found in Indigenous territories, as a result of millennia of responsible management by Indigenous Peoples.

Total terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage across Canada. Darker shades represent larger carbon stocks. The study revealed significant carbon stores in coastal British Columbia’s forests, the boreal forest and the Hudson and James Bay Lowlands.

This is the first comprehensive study that has measured carbon above and below ground, and at different depths. It shows the location of carbon in Canada — across all terrestrial ecosystems and at depths of up to two metres — and highlights how the right approach to conservation can help keep billions of tonnes of carbon in the ground.

These findings have significant implications for both Canada and the world. Locating high-carbon regions allows for more targeted conservation measures. Implementing nature-based climate solutions (NbCS) — such as protected and conserved areas and active management of landscapes — in these regions can help ensure this globally significant amount of carbon remains locked in nature, and increases the possibility of more absorption in the future. NbCS also provide important habitat for wildlife, including for at-risk species, allowing us to fight climate change and biodiversity loss at the same time. These strategies must be implemented in collaboration with Indigenous communities, where and when requested, in a way that respects Indigenous rights, knowledge and governance.

Terrestrial ecosystems store carbon in plants and soils (marine and coastal ecosystems also store large amounts of carbon, known as “blue carbon”). To date, most studies have focused on understanding how much carbon is stored above ground (in trees and other plants, for example). This research, however, revealed that when you look below ground and get into deeper levels of soil, there are massive deposits of carbon. This is especially true for peatlands, a type of wetland found throughout the country, with large swaths found in northern Ontario and Quebec. Canada has an estimated 1.1 million square kilometres of peatlands — about 12 per cent of the country and second in size only to Russia.

Key Findings

Digging deeper:
Biomass versus soils

Carbon is stored in different amounts at different depths. The average amount of carbon is highest in soils — particularly in peatlands.

Canada’s terrestrial ecosystems

Canada’s terrestrial ecosystems are known to store a large amount of carbon in plants, soil and peat, but until now, there hasn’t been a comprehensive study that looked at carbon above and below ground at different depths. A new study by WWF-Canada scientists and researchers at McMaster’s Remote Sensing Lab shows the location of carbon in Canada — across all terrestrial ecosystems and at depths of up to two metres — and highlights how the right approach to conservation can help us keep billions of tonnes of carbon in the ground. The findings will change the way we approach conservation in Canada by helping us fight climate change and biodiversity loss at the same time through nature-based climate solutions — strategies that use the unique powers of nature to catch and store carbon while also benefitting wildlife.

OVERVIEW

Key Findings

Carbon stores can be found throughout each province and territory. However, the amount of carbon present depends on the ecological makeup of the landscape.

This map represents the average provincial and territorial breakdown of carbon in the country. Hover over each province or territory to find out the average amount of carbon contained in biomass and soil.

Key findings

Over the span of two years, the research team fed data from existing soil samples collected from across the country, as well as long-term satellite data, satellite-based lidar and topographic and climate variables, into a machine-learning algorithm. (This means that the more data that is available, the better the algorithm can predict carbon concentrations.) Researchers were able to estimate carbon at a 250-metre spatial resolution in different carbon pools (soils and plant biomass), as well as at multiple depths (1–2 metres).

METHODS

The immense amount of carbon stored in Canada provides many opportunities. Protecting and properly managing the landscapes are examples of nature-based climate solutions that can help combat the climate crisis by preventing the release of stored carbon into the atmosphere. They also create resilience against climate-related events such as flooding and extreme temperature changes while providing habitat for species at risk.

Leaving these areas unprotected poses significant risks. Disturbing the land (through development, mining or agriculture, for example) will release carbon that’s been stored for millennia into the atmosphere, exacerbating already-dangerous levels of carbon emissions and threatening Canada’s ability to meet its commitments to international climate targets.  

Disruption and degradation of these ecosystems comes with social and cultural risks as well. The lands have benefited from generations of Indigenous stewardship, which have helped to safeguard key ecosystems that contribute to climate regulation and food security, and are of cultural significance. Disturbing them would negatively impact access to community hunting grounds and important cultural areas, among other important uses.  

Understanding the spatial distribution of carbon stores across the country can help with their protection. Canada has the opportunity to showcase how powerful nature-based climate solutions can be in the fight against biodiversity loss and climate change.  

It also underscores the importance of working with Indigenous communities and advocating for Carbon Guardians programs and the creation of more Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, in which Indigenous communities would lead stewardship of the land, ensuring food security, sustainable harvests and economic development.

Discussion

Recommendations

All levels of government need to take urgent and meaningful action to combat the biodiversity and climate crises. WWF-Canada is actively working to support the following initiatives and seeks opportunity for collaboration with government and other actors to help make Canada a global leader in protecting and managing ecosystem carbon.

Since September 2021, the Mushkegowuk Council has been leading trainings for community-led field sampling of the Hudson Bay and James Bay Lowlands in partnership with researchers from WWF-Canada and the Remote Sensing Lab at McMaster University. This work will help provide more ground data to better understand carbon levels throughout the region.

By combining scientific research and Indigenous knowledge, the findings from the sampling effort will also advance Indigenous-led conservation in an area that’s globally significant for carbon storage, biodiversity and culture. The data will be crucial to help Canada prioritize nature-based climate solutions that can reduce carbon emissions through both avoided emissions and active sequestration.  

This analysis was completed by Sothe et al. (2022). The accompanying journal article is published in Global Biogeochemical Cycles (DOI: 10.1002/essoar.10507117.2) and data can be accessed online.