Biogenic Carbon Storage in Global Technosphere for 2011

2011 data quantifies annual biogenic carbon flows into durable goods and landfills across the global economy. The study estimates 0.96 ± 0.15 gigatons of bio-C was stored, with 46% projected for discharge before 2050 based on product lifespans. It was authored by Kaan Hidiroglu using a material flow analysis framework and lifetime-based discharge modeling.

Use Cases

• Model the discharge of stored biogenic carbon until 2100 across recycling, landfill, and emission pathways using lifetime-based discharge modeling.
• Conduct sensitivity analyses on product lifetime assumptions and lifetime distribution functions to assess variability in long-term bio-C retention.
• Analyze the impact of the methane generation factor in landfills on cumulative methane-related global warming impacts.
• Evaluate the effect of extending product lifetimes and increasing recycling rates on the temporal dynamics of bio-C storage in the technosphere.

Strengths

• Quantifies a specific global bio-C storage amount of 0.96 ± 0.15 gigatons of carbon for the year 2011.
• Provides projections for bio-C discharge timing, including the specific finding that 46% of stored carbon is projected for discharge before 2050.
• Includes sensitivity analyses on key parameters like product lifetime assumptions and methane generation factors, revealing substantial variability in outcomes.

Limitations

• The dataset is very small at 79.2 KB, indicating limited scope and likely containing aggregated summary data rather than granular records.
• Temporal coverage is limited to a single base year (2011) for the core flow analysis, with projections extending to 2100.
• The specific data columns and sample structure are unknown, limiting immediate understanding of the data's internal organization.

Provenance

Source

Kaan Hidiroglu via figshare.

Collection Method

Developed using a novel material flow analysis framework applied to Multi-Regional Supply-Use Tables and detailed extension accounts.

Time Range

2011 (base year for flows), with discharge modeling projections until 2100.

Freshness

Last updated in March 2026, but the underlying data analysis is for the year 2011.

Geography

Global economy.