Attention needed in forest carbon projects: An analysis of initiatives in Colombia

Afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation (ARR) projects play a crucial role to combat climate change. In Colombia, ARR projects are important to achieve forest restoration and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Our study presents a comprehensive review of 74 ARR projects in Colombia, examining their spatial distribution, characteristics, and restorative interventions. The projects were identified through a review of carbon registry web pages. Data on project timelines, estimated carbon removal, locations, sizes, natural regions, biomes, species approaches, number of planted species, and types of restorative interventions were extracted from project description documents, validation, monitoring and verification reports. Overall, these projects have treated an area of 314,374 ha, with an estimated removal of 101,553,801 tons of CO2 during the crediting period. The analysis revealed that the Andean, Caribbean, and Orinoco regions had the highest number of ARR projects, while the Pacific and Amazon regions had fewer initiatives. Mixed species plantings were the most common approach, followed by exotic and native species. Afforestation was the most frequent forestry intervention, followed by agroforestry. However, the study also identifies concerning trends, such as the widespread use of invasive species and large number of afforestation projects in naturally non-forest ecosystems. These findings offer critical insights for the governance of ARR projects in Colombia, emphasizing the need to assure quality in carbon sequestration efforts while enhancing ecological and social benefits. Finally, the study supports Colombia’s broader goals of biodiversity restoration and climate resilience.