Forests cover about 30 percent of total land area, but they store about 50 percent of the Earth’s terrestrial carbon (1,150 GtC) in plant biomass, litter and debris, or in the soil. About 20 percent of total GHG emissions are caused by deforestation and land use changes but in tropical regions emissions attributable to land clearance are much higher, up to 40 percent of national totals. Reducing deforestation and degradation (REDD) is the forest mitigation option with the largest potential for maintaining carbon stocks in standing forests over the short term. Various types of wetlands – including swamp forests, mangroves, peatlands, mires and marshes – are also.
