Afforestation projects across semi-arid sub-Saharan regions have historically been measured against inconsistent carbon accounting protocols, undermining confidence in reported sequestration rates. This research develops a standardized field-measurement and verification protocol suited to semi-arid growing conditions specifically.
Applying the protocol across a set of pilot afforestation sites revealed that several previously reported sequestration estimates had not adequately accounted for soil carbon dynamics under intermittent rainfall, leading to a recommended adjustment methodology for future carbon-credit verification in comparable climates.
The resulting protocol is intended for adoption by verification bodies assessing afforestation projects in similar agro-ecological zones, in partnership with the UN Environment Programme.