• Detecting Vulnerability of Humid Tropical Forests to Multiple Stressors

    Saatchi S. et al.
    One Earth
    2021

    We developed a tropical forest vulnerability index (TFVI) to detect and evaluate the vulnerability of global tropical forests to threats across space and time. Four decades of satellite data show widespread vulnerability across the tropics, while the response of rainforests to heat and drying varies across the continents. The early warning from the index can identify regions for conservation and restoration.

  • An assessment of data sources, data quality and changes in national forest monitoring capacities in the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005–2020

    Nesha MK, Herold, M, De Sy V et al.
    Environmental Research Letters
    2021

    In this paper, we assess the use and quality of forest monitoring data sources for national reporting to the FRA in 236 countries and territories. More specifically, we analyze the use of remote sensing and for forest monitoring in FRA 2005–2020, assess data quality in FRA 2020 using FAO tier-based indicators, and zoom in to investigate changes in tropical forest monitoring capacities in FRA 2010–2020.

  • Estimating aboveground net biomass change for tropical and subtropical forests: refinement of IPCC default rates using forest plot data.

    Requena Suarez D, Rozendaal DM, De Sy V et al.
    Global change biology
    2019

    Countries with limited forest monitoring capabilities in the tropics and subtropics rely on IPCC 2006 default aboveground net biomass change (∆AGB) rates. As part of the 2019 Refinement to these guidelines, we provide a rigorous and traceable updates of the IPCC 2006 default rates in tropical and subtropical ecological zones. This study is an important step towards quantifying the role of tropical and subtropical forests as carbon sinks with higher accuracy and our new rates can be used for large‐scale GHG accounting by governmental bodies, nongovernmental organizations and in scientific research.

  • Global data and tools for local forest cover loss and REDD+ performance assessment: Accuracy, uncertainty, complementarity and impact

    Bos A, De Sy V, Duchelle A et al.
    International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation
    2019

    Assessing the performance of REDD+ efforts requires data on forest cover change. Innovations in remote sensing and forest monitoring provide ever-increasing levels of coverage, spatial and temporal detail, and accuracy. In this paper we analyse (1) differences in accuracy between datasets of forest cover change; (2) if and how combinations of datasets can increase accuracy; and we demonstrate (3) the effect of (not) doing accuracy assessments for REDD+ performance measurements.

  • Independent data for transparent monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions from the land use sector–What do stakeholders think and need?

    Romijn E, De Sy V, Herold M et al.
    Environmental Science & Policy
    2018

    Greenhouse gas emissions reduction from the land use sector requires that accurate, consistent and comparable datasets are available for transparent reference and progress monitoring. Through an online survey, we investigated stakeholders’ data needs for estimating forest area and change, forest biomass and emission factors, and AFOLU GHG emissions. Our results show that current open and freely available datasets and portals are only able to fulfil stakeholder needs to a certain degree. We also identify key elements for increasing overall transparency of data sources, definitions and methodologies.