Mengistu et al. (2026): Ethiopia’s green legacy initiative enhances carbon stock and carbon dioxide sequestration across diverse landscapes
Dejene K. Mengistu, Hailu Terefe, Basazen F. Lakew, Abiyou Tilahun and Bogale N. Hailemariam, IN: Scientific Reports, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-61968-8
Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) is one of the world’s largest landscape restoration programs, yet its contribution to carbon sequestration across diverse land uses and agroecological zones remains poorly quantified. This study assessed the effects of GLI interventions on biomass accumulation, carbon storage (CS), and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) sequestration across 21 districts representing major implementation regions of Ethiopia. A total of 8,209 plants belonging to 90 species and 42 families were measured across four land-use types and eight management practices. Aboveground biomass, carbon stock, and CO₂e sequestration were estimated using species-appropriate allometric equations.