Greenhouse gas emissions and removals in land and forests

In France, the LULUCF sector is a net carbon sink. It absorbed 37.4 Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂eq) in 2023 and thus offset 10% of total gross carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. While forest land stores 51.0 Mt CO₂eq and grassland 4.2 Mt CO₂eq, cropland emits 12.4 Mt CO₂eq, settlements 5.0 Mt CO₂eq and wetland 0.6 Mt CO₂eq per year.

The amount of CO₂ stored by the LULUCF sector has varied considerably between 1990 and 2023. These variations are linked to the flow of CO₂ from forests, which is sensitive to storms and droughts. Between 1990 and 2008, the forest sink gained 30.0 Mt CO₂, and it has since been on a downward trend, falling from 75.4 Mt CO₂ in 2008 to 51.0 Mt CO₂ in 2023.

The national target will be reached in 2030 if the carbon sink in the LULUCF sector is maintained. However, forest CO₂ sequestration capacity is being reduced due to the increase in drought and disease, the slowdown in stand growth and the increase in harvesting. The collapse of the forest carbon sink is partly due to climate change.