Carbon storage, sequestration and emission monitoring

Remote sensing mapping and monitoring techniques can be employed for the mapping of carbon storage (through biomass maps) at various scales, the monitoring of carbon sequestration (e.g. success of reforestation activities) and the most interestingly the monitoring of illegal logging threats, fire susceptibility and active fires, and leakage for carbon offset projects.

SarVision has pioneered the development and implementation of a fully operational radar-based land cover change detection system for forestry-based carbon offset projects. SarVision currently works together with an oil and gas company based in Canada and the BOS Foundation in the Mawas peat swamp area in Indonesia to further improve the system. For quarterly corporate reporting to project investors and buyers of carbon credits monthly satellite data availability must be absolutely guaranteed. Due to persistent cloud cover, this can only be achieved using radar data.

Current experience in the Mawas peat swamp reserve in Indonesia has shown that implementation of radar-based land cover change detection system can help enable a viable investment climate by providing the credibility and accountability private and public sector investors require for large investments in carbon forestry projects (i.e. credits eligible under Kyoto and voluntary credits accepted by the private sector).

For more information on our efforts in the forestry-based carbon offset field click here to download a recent presentation (pdf).