This week, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released the second edition of its Natural & Working Lands Carbon Inventory, providing an updated assessment of carbon stored across the state’s ecosystems. Developed using a combination of remote sensing and ground-based data, the inventory complements California’s annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory by tracking carbon gains and losses from natural and working lands.
The inventory shows that California’s natural and working lands store a substantial amount of carbon – nearly 5 billion metric tons as of 2022. On average, carbon dioxide absorbed annually by plants and soils has been roughly twice the amount emitted from wildfires, though emissions exceeded sequestration in severe fire years such as 2008, 2020, and 2021.
At the same time, the report highlights emerging challenges. Between 2014 and 2022, California’s lands acted as a net source of carbon, with total carbon stocks declining by approximately 4%, primarily due to increased wildfire activity and associated land cover change. These findings underscore both the importance of land-based carbon storage and its vulnerability to climate-driven disturbances. CARB also released a new wildfire emissions inventory that integrates satellite data to provide more detailed information on air pollutants generated by wildfires. Together, these tools are intended to inform California’s next update to its carbon neutrality plan and support ongoing investments in nature-based solutions, forest resilience, and improved land management practices.
