Fu et al. (2026): Enhanced forest carbon gains from stronger protection in China’s protected areas
Yuwen Fu, Wang Li, Zheng Niu, Fang Chen, Bing Zhang, Hailang Qiao, Li Wang and Jens-Christian Svenning, IN: Nature Communications, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69505-x
Protected areas (PAs) are central to China’s forest conservation strategy, yet their effectiveness for carbon storage across governance and management contexts remains unclear. A clearer understanding of their current and future carbon benefits is essential for informing conservation and climate policy. Here, using 1-km GEDI satellite data, the authors show that forests within China’s PAs store on average 68.29 ± 0.17 Mg C ha⁻¹ – about 13% more than matched unprotected forests.