Abstract ID: 3.12958 | Not reviewed | Requested as: Talk | TBA | TBA

The Himalayan mountain range spans diverse ecosystems across multiple countries, making it crucial to regional climate change mitigation efforts. In this study, we aim to estimate the role of forest cover change and its associated climate impact in the region. We used a high-resolution regional land cover dataset to estimate forest change between 2000 and 2021. We integrated this data with a global ecoregion classification and aboveground biomass estimates from NASA’s GEDI L4A data product to accurately quantify carbon sequestration, emissions, and net flux over the two-decade period. Our analysis reveals that Himalayan forests sequestered 325.5 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (MtCO₂eq) while emitting 195.8 MtCO₂, resulting in a net sequestration of 129.9 MtCO₂eq. Among the subregions, the Indian Himalayas had the highest total carbon sequestration, but Nepal exhibited the greatest climate impact per unit of forest area. Despite having only half the total forest cover of the Indian Himalayas, Nepal’s forests achieved net sequestration of 73.4 MtCO₂eq, nearly 1.5 times that of the Indian Himalayas. This underscores the exceptional carbon storage potential of Nepal’s mid-hill forests, which, along with parts of the Indian Himalayas, emerged as the most effective carbon sink in the region. Additionally, we identified areas of persistent forest cover over the two decades and found that the Eastern Himalayas serve as the most significant long-term and high-density carbon sink. These findings establish the Himalayas as a vital carbon reservoir, emphasizing the need for ongoing conservation and afforestation. By mapping forest recovery, this study underscores the region’s role in climate mitigation and identifies key areas for future carbon sequestration.