NZ's native forests could be sucking up far more CO2 than previously calculated

Niwa scientist Beata Bukosa. (Image: NIWA)

Tue, 17 Jun 2025

New Zealand’s mature native forests are absorbing more carbon dioxide than previously thought, according to new research.The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) says that could have implications for NZ’s greenhouse gas reporting, carbon credit prices and climate policies.It could also influence land-use policies if native forest is seen as more valuable for carbon sequestration. However, it’s still a mystery where that extra sequestered CO2 is going. NZ’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory estimates ca...

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