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HEFT - Hidden Emissions of Forest Transitions: GHG effects of socio-metabolic processes reducing pressures on forests

Project Leader

Gingrich Simone, Project Leader

Duration:

01.04.2018-30.09.2023

Programme:

Horizon 2020 - Excellent Science - ERC Starting Grant (StG)

Type of Research

Basic Research

Further information: http://heft.boku.ac.at/

Staff

Schmid Martin, Project Staff

Erb Karlheinz, Project Staff

Lauk Christian, Project Staff

Schaffartzik Anke, Project Staff

Pichler Melanie, Project Staff

Güldner Dino Leon, Project Staff

Niedertscheider Maria, Project Staff (bis 25.09.2020)

Magerl Andreas, Project Staff

Matej Sarah, Project Staff

Bhan Manan, Project Staff

Le Noe Julia, Project Staff

Bauernschuster Sonja Edith, Project Staff

Bertsch-Hörmann Bastian, Project Staff

Darrobers Leonore, Project Staff (bis 27.08.2021)

BOKU Research Units

Institute of Social Ecology (SEC)

Funded by

Commission of the European Communities, Rue de la Loi, Brussels, European Union

Abstract

A forest transition, i.e. forest expansion after a long period of deforestation, has occurred in many, mostly industrialized countries. Forest transitions have recently resulted in declining rates of global net deforestation and contributed to carbon (C) sinks in terrestrial ecosystems. Studies have shown the concurrence of forest transitions and industrialization processes, but the systemic links between forest transitions, their underlying socio-metabolic processes and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been neither systematically explored nor quantified. HEFT introduces the idea of “hidden emissions of forest transitions”, i.e. the GHG emissions from socio-metabolic processes reducing pressures on forests. Hidden emissions may stem from processes such as substitution of fuelwood by modern energy sources, intensification of agriculture, and externalization of biomass production to remote regions. Building on the concept of socio-ecological metabolism, HEFT develops a consistent methodological framework to quantify the full GHG emissions and sinks from socio-metabolic and ecological processes in the course of forest transitions, within which their hidden emissions are identified. Forest transitions in multiple contexts are analyzed at local, national and supranational scales: in Europe since c. 1850, North America since c. 1880, and South East Asia since 1980. A coarse global-scale assessment complements the regional case studies. We will integrate sources and analytical methods from environmental and social sciences as well as the humanities to analyze context-specific trajectories and general features of socio-ecological GHG budgets and their respective socio-political contexts since the onset of forest transitions. The sound understanding of hidden emissions will be used to identify the least GHG-intensive trajectories and to draw lessons for future climate-friendly forest transitions.

Keywords

Climate change; Environmental research; Human ecology; Sustainable agriculture; Sustainable economics; Environmental economics; Environmental sociology; Cultural landscape research; Environmental policy;

Publications

** Bertsch-Hoermann, B; Egger, C; Gaube, V; Gingrich, S Agroforestry trade-offs between biomass provision and aboveground carbon sequestration in the alpine Eisenwurzen region, Austria.

REG ENVIRON CHANGE. 2021; 21(3), 77 WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

** Bhan, M; Gingrich, S; Roux, N; Noe, JL; Kastner, T; Matej, S; Schwarzmueller, F; Erb, KH Quantifying and attributing land use-induced carbon emissions to biomass consumption: A critical assessment of existing approaches.

J ENVIRON MANAGE. 2021; 286, 112228 WoS PubMed FullText FullText_BOKU

* Billen, G; Aguilera, E; Einarsson, R; Garnier, J; Gingrich, S; Grizzetti, B; Lassaletta, L; Le Noe, J; Sanz-Cobena, A (2021): Reshaping the European agro-food system and closing its nitrogen cycle: The potential of combining dietary change, agroecology, and circularity.

ONE EARTH, 4(6), 839-850; ISSN 2590-3322 FullText FullText_BOKU

** Gingrich, S; Lauk, C; Krausmann, F; Erb, KH; Le Noe, J Changes in energy and livestock systems largely explain the forest transition in Austria (1830-1910).

LAND USE POLICY. 2021; 109, 105624 WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

** Knevels, R; Brenning, A; Gingrich, S; Heiss, G; Lechner, T; Leopold, P; Plutzar, C; Proske, H; Petschko, H Towards the Use of Land Use Legacies in Landslide Modeling: Current Challenges and Future Perspectives in an Austrian Case Study.

LAND-BASEL. 2021; 10(9), 954 WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

** Le Noe, J; Erb, KH; Matej, S; Magerl, A; Bhan, M; Gingrich, S Socio-ecological drivers of long-term ecosystem carbon stock trend: An assessment with the LUCCA model of the French case.

ANTHROPOCENE. 2021; 33, 100275 WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

** Le Noe, J; Erb, KH; Matej, S; Magerl, A; Bhan, M; Gingrich, S Altered growth conditions more than reforestation counteracted forest biomass carbon emissions 1990-2020.

NAT COMMUN. 2021; 12(1), 6075 WoS PubMed FullText FullText_BOKU

** Pichler, M; Bhan, M; Gingrich, S The social and ecological costs of reforestation. Territorialization and industrialization of land use accompany forest transitions in Southeast Asia.

LAND USE POLICY. 2021; 101, 105180 WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

** Pichler, M; Ingalls, M Negotiating between forest conversion, industrial tree plantations and multifunctional landscapes. Power and politics in forest transitions.

GEOFORUM. 2021; 124: 185-194. WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

Güldner, D (2020): Vom lichten zum dichten Wald.

Forstzeitung, 01/2020, 10-12

** Knevels, R; Brenning, A; Gingrich, S; Gruber, E; Lechner, T; Leopold, P; Petschko, H; Plutzar, C CULTURAL LANDSCAPE CHANGE: AN INDICATOR-BASED RETROSPECT INTO THE 19TH CENTURY. CASE STUDY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES WAIDHOFEN/YBBS AND PALDAU.

MITT OSTERR GEOGR G. 2020; 162: 255-285. WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

** Le Noë, J; Matej, S; Magerl, A; Bhan, M; Erb, KH; Gingrich, S; Modeling and empirical validation of long-term carbon sequestration in forests (France, 1850-2015)..

Glob Chang Biol. 2020; WoS PubMed FullText FullText_BOKU

** Le Noe, J; Roux, N; Billen, G; Gingrich, S; Erb, KH; Krausmann, F; Thieu, V; Silvestre, M; Garnier, J The phosphorus legacy offers opportunities for agro-ecological transition (France 1850-2075).

ENVIRON RES LETT. 2020; 15(6), 064022 WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

* Scheidel, A; Gingrich, S (2020): Toward sustainable and just forest recovery: research gaps and potentials for knowledge integration.

ONE EARTH, 3(6), 680-690; ISSN 2590-3322 FullText FullText_BOKU

Gingrich, S; Güldner, D; Schmid, M (2020): Eine sozial-ökologische Interpretation der „Forest Transition“ in den österreichischen Alpenländern des 19. Jahrhunderts.

In: Schanbacher, A (Hrsg.), Ressourcen in historischer Perspektive. Landschaft, Literatur und Nachhaltigkeit, 117-146; Universitätsverlag Göttingen, Göttingen; ISBN 978-3-86395-475-8 FullText

Bhan, M (2020): Why STEM instructors should think about their teaching philosophies.

The Life of Science.com, December 1, 2020 FullText

** Gingrich, S; Lauk, C; Niedertscheider, M; Pichler, M; Schaffartzik, A; Schmid, M; Magerl, A; Le Noe, J; Bhan, M; Erb, K Hidden emissions of forest transitions: a socio-ecological reading of forest change.

CURR OPIN ENV SUST. 2019; 38: 14-21. WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

** Magerl, A; Le Noe, J; Erb, KH; Bhan, M; Gingrich, S A comprehensive data-based assessment of forest ecosystem carbon stocks in the US 1907-2012.

ENVIRON RES LETT. 2019; 14(12), 125015 WoS FullText FullText_BOKU

Schmid, M (2019): Wälder in der umwelthistorischen Risikospirale [Teil 1].

Forstzeitung, 01/19, 12-13

Schmid, M (2019): Wälder in der umwelthistorischen Risikospirale [Teil 2].

Forstzeitung, 02/19, 26-28

Bhan, M; Erb, KH; Gingrich, S (2019): It's a numbers game? Uncertainties in tropical forest carbon stocks driven by differing global assessments.
[4th Open Science Meeting of the Global Land Programme, Bern, Switzerland, 24.04.2019 - 26.04.2019]

In: Global Land Programme (Ed.), Transforming Land Systems for People and Nature FullText

Gingrich, S; Le Noë, J; Lauk, C (2019): What drove the forest transition in Austria? A counterfactual analysis.
[10th Biennial Conference of the European Society for Environmental History (ESEH): Boundaries in/of Environmental History, Tallinn, Estonia, AUG 21-25, 2019]

In: University of Tallinn (Ed.), Bondaries in/of Environmental History, p. 221 FullText

Gingrich, S; Le Noë, J; Lauk, C (2019): Which processes enabled the Austrian forest transition? Re-evaluating the climate change mitigation effect of long-term reforestation.
[4th Open Science Meeting of the Global Land Programme, Bern, Switzerland, 24.04.2019 - 26.04.2019]

In: Global Land Programme (Ed.), Transforming Land Systems for People and Nature FullText

Le Noë, J; Gingrich, S (2019): Forest transition and C cycle in France (1850-2018): a socio-ecological metabolism perspective.
[10th Biennial Conference of the European Society for Environmental History (ESEH): Boundaries in/of Environmental History, Tallinn, Estonia, AUG 21-25, 2019]

In: University of Tallinn (Ed.), Bondaries in/of Environmental History, p. 220 FullText

Magerl, A; Le Noë, J; Erb KH; Bhan, M; Gingrich, S (2019): A socio-ecological reading of the forest transition in North America.
[10th Biennial Conference of the European Society for Environmental History (ESEH): Boundaries in/of Environmental History, Tallinn, Estonia, AUG 21-25, 2019]

In: University of Tallinn (Ed.), Bondaries in/of Environmental History, p. 219 FullText

Pichler, M; Gingrich, S (2019): REDD+ in the context of industrializing land use: political-institutional and biophysical contradictions of forest transitions in Southeast Asia.
[2nd Austrian Conference on International Resource Poitics: Resources for a social-ecological transformation, Innsbruck, Austria, FEB 28 - MAR 2, 2019]

In: University of Innsbruck (Ed.), Resources for a social-ecological transformation FullText

Bhan, M (2019): How Much Forest is in your Coffee?.

Youth Ki Awaaz FullText

Bhan, M (2019): Tree-planting has enormous potential but significant socio-ecological challenges for climate action.

Tech2 Blog: Techology News / Science, November 25, 2019 FullText

Gingrich, S (2019): Klimaschutz und Nachhaltigkeit: Ein Wandel muss her!.

Der Standard / Wissenschaft / Wissens-Blog / Junge-Akademie-Blog (3. April 2019) FullText

Roux, N; Lumholt, LMB; Reis, T; Bhan, M (2019): Is the EU stepping up its effort to tackle deforestation and forest degradation?.

COUPLED Blog, 23.1.2019 FullText

** Gingrich, S; Krausmann, F At the core of the socio-ecological transition: Agroecosystem energy fluxes in Austria 1830-2010.

SCI TOTAL ENVIRON. 2018; 645: 119-129. WoS PubMed FullText FullText_BOKU

Gingrich, S (2018): Mehr Wohlstand, mehr Wald, mehr Klimaschutz?.

Der Standard, BLOG, online FullText

Vorträge

Bauernschuster, S; Pichler, M (2021): Discursive and biophysical dimensions of forest use in Laos.

International Multidisciplinary Workshop. Contested Society-Nature-Relations. Forest related Emotions, Practices and Conflicts in Times of Societal Change, MAY 27-18, 2021, [online]

Bauernschuster, S; Gingrich, S; Pichler, M (2020): Hidden Emissions behind the Politics of Nature and Resource Control in Laos.

Third Biennial Conference of the Political Ecology Network (POLLEN): Contested Natures: Power, Possibility, Prefiguration, SEP 22-25, 2020, Brighton, UK

Bauernschuster, S; Gingrich, S; Pichler, M (2020): The nexus between climate change mitigation and economic development in Laos.

11th International Sustainability Transition (IST) Conference 2020: Governance in an Era of Change – Making Sustainability Transitions Happen, AUG 18-21, 2020, Vienna, AUSTRIA [online conference]

Bauernschuster, S; Pichler, M; Ingalls, M; Thongmanivong, S; Gingrich, S (2020): Discursive and biophysical dimensions of land sparing policies in Laos and their implications for GHG emissions and food security.

Research Seminar, Institute of Social Ecology, NOV 17, 2020, Vienna, AUSTRIA [online]

Bhan, M (2020): Quantifying and attributing land use-induced emissions to biomass consumption: A critical assessment of existing approaches.

FLARE Network Twitter Conference: Reimaging Forests and Livelihoods in Turbulent Times, OCT 26-29, 2020, [online] FullText

Bhan, M (2020): Quantifying induced FOLU emissions from biomass consumption: A critical assessment of existing approaches; conference cancelled due to precautionary coronavirus measures.

European Conference of Tropical Ecology, MAR 27, 2020, Leipzig

Bhan, M; Gingrich, S; Fritz, S; Matej, S; Erb, KH (2020): Characterizing land use impacts on carbon stocks and tree cover in the tropics. [Poster]

American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall 2020 Meeting (Session: Tropical Forests under a Changing Environment), DEC 1-17, 2020, [online] FullText

Gingrich, S (2020): Contextualizing Forest Change: Social-Ecological Perspectives on Forest Transitions.

KLI Colloquium, MAR 3, 2020, Klosterneuburg, Austria

Gingrich, S (2020): Land use and sustainability: lessons from the past and challenges for the future.

ELLS Scientific Student Conference: The World of Tomorrow – A Green and Sustainable Society, NOV 20, 2020, First Online Edition

Gingrich, S; Schmid, M (2020): State versus Peasants? The Forest Transition in Late Habsburg Austria.

Natural Resource Exploitation in Late Habsburg Empire, NOV 19-20, 2020, Online Workshop

Güldner, D; Gingrich, S; Krausmann, F (2020): The Franziscean Cadastre as a source for long-term socioecological research: Agro-ecological investigations of 19th century farming systems.

Conference: Historic cadastres in Europe: source material and state of research, FEB 26-28, 2020, Innsbruck, AUSTRIA

Magerl, A (2020): Forest, Agriculture and Ecosystem services. A Socio-Metabolic Perspective on the United States Forest Transition, 1870-2012.

1st IALE-Russia International Conference "Landscape Science and Landscape Ecology: Considering Responses to Global Challenges", SEP 14-18, 2020, Moscow, RUSSIA [online]

Magerl, A (2020): A socio-ecological reading of the forest transition in North America.

Dissertant*innen-Tagung Wirtschafts-, Sozial- und Umweltgeschichte, Universität Innsbruck, FEB 27-28, 2020, Innsbruck, AUSTRIA

Gingrich, S (2019): Hidden Emissions of Forest Transitions a falsified hypothesis, a counterfactual approach, and an unexpected turn.

ÖAW Science Days, JUL 4-5, 2019, Traunkirchen, AUSTRIA

Gingrich, S (2019): Ein sozial-ökologischer Blick auf Wiederbewaldungsprozesse.

Vortrag zur 4. Sitzung der Kommission für Interdisziplinäre Ökologische Studien, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, DEZ 19, 2019, Wien, AUSTRIA

Gingrich, S; Pichler, M; Bauernschuster, S (2019): Trade-offs and tensions of forest transitions: investigating reforestation processes in Laos and beyond from social and political ecology perspectives.

Lunch Seminar, Stockholm Environment Institute, NOV 6, 2019, Bangkok, THAILAND

Gingrich, S; Schmid, M; Güldner, D (2019): Nachhaltigkeitsprobleme und ihr historischer Wandel: sozial-ökologische Beiträge zu einer materiellen Umweltgeschichte.

Tagung "Ressourcen in historischer Perspektive - Erschließung, Wahrnehmung, Nachhaltigkeit". Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, OKT 16-17, 2019, Göttingen, DEUTSCHLAND

Le Noë, J; Gingrich, S (2019): Changes in rural environment and livelihood conditions following forest and energy transition in France (1850-1920): a socio-ecological perspective.

Conference of the European Society for Rural History (EURHO), SEP 10-13, 2019, Paris, FRANCE

Erb, KH; Gingrich, S; Haberl, H (2018): Bestände und Flüsse von Kohlenstoff in Österreich 1830-2010. Systemische Zusammenhänge zwischen gesellschaftlichen und natürlichen Prozessen.

CCCA Workshop "Gegenüberstellung und Betrachtung der unterschiedlichen Ansätze für die Bilanzierung der CO2-Emissionen aus Bioenergieanlagen, die mit forstlicher Biomasse betrieben werden", JUN 28, 2018, Graz, AUSTRIA

Gingrich, S (2018): A socio-ecologial perspective on long-term forest change.

Science Afternoon, Institute of Silviculture, OCT 16, 2018, Vienna, AUSTRIA

Gingrich, S (2018): Nachhaltigkeit im ländlichen Raum: eine sozial-ökologische Langzeitperspektive.

Rural History Forum, Institut für Geschichte des ländlichen Raums, NOV 11, 2018, St. Pölten, AUSTRIA

Gingrich, S; Krausmann, F (2018): The industrialization of Austrian agroecosystems: a long-term socio-ecological approach. Workshop "Research laboratory about agroecological intensification. Learnings from past and proposals to the future".

Revolta rede de agroecoloxia at Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, OCT 19, 2018, Santiago de Compostela, SPAIN