Land Use and Carbon Analysis System (LUCAS)
The Taranaki region in North Island, New Zealand,
has a variety of land uses - releasing greenhouse
gases (pastoral farming) and fixing CO2 (forest).
What is it?
The Land Use and Carbon Analysis System is helping New Zealand meet its international reporting requirements under the Kyoto Protocol. It tracks and quantifies changes in New Zealand land use, particularly since 1990.
LUCAS is a cross-government programme led by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). Several other government departments including Treasury and the Department of Conservation (DOC) provide input.
This page provides an overview of the range of activities of LUCAS and the benefits it aims to deliver; the text on the present page reflects the menu items in the navigation bar on the left.
What's new?
This is the point of access for:
- latest Progress Report to Stakeholders
- composition of the LUCAS team
- land use maps (1990 and 2008 now available!)
- numerical data. The latest published data from all participating countries, including New Zealand, can be retrieved in tabular and graphic form from the UNFCCC website.
What does LUCAS do?
Established in 2005, the team's first priority has been to develop methodologies appropriate for New Zealand, in accord with its international reporting requirements.
This has meant developing a unique approach to analysing the various land uses in New Zealand that have undergone major changes.
The work LUCAS does is reflected in its six workstreams. These are:
- database and reporting system
- method development
- land use mapping
- soils
- natural forests
- planted forests.
The data and information required to determine changes in New Zealand’s carbon pool are stored in a national LUCAS database (initially for internal use only). This is now rapidly being populated with data, from which time series and land use maps are starting to become available to associated organisations in New Zealand as well as internationally.
Key years for which land-use data are mapped are:
- 1990
- 2008
- 2012.
These years represent the IPCC base year for greenhouse gas emissions; and the beginning and the end, respectively, of the First Commitment Period (CP1) under the Kyoto Protocol.
What benefits does LUCAS bring?
Contributions by the LUCAS project provide many benefits. Eventually, its results will allow New Zealand to claim global credits for our 'carbon sinks' under the international trading rules to which New Zealand is committed.
It does so by providing evidence that the country as a whole fixes more carbon dioxide than the total amount of greenhouse gas it produces (mainly carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide). LUCAS provides the objective, verifiable data for New Zealand's contribution to fighting climate change.
Where do I find out more?
Read about key concepts of carbon pools as defined by the IPCC. Other terms shown in italics in the text are linked to the updated glossary on the New Zealand Climate Change Solutions website.
Regular updates on the project are presented in the 'Looking at LUCAS' newsletters; these are directly accessible from the navigation bar on the left, as are other relevant Links and References.
Contact details
Contact the LUCAS programme team by email: lucas@mfe.govt.nz or write to: LUCAS Team, Ministry for the Environment, PO Box 10362, Wellington 6143, New Zealand
Last updated: 8 February 2010
