Biogenic Carbon Storage in Global Technosphere for 2011

A 2011 material flow analysis 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 were stored that year, applying lifetime-based discharge modeling until 2100 to track end-of-life fate across recycling, landfill, and emission pathways.

Use Cases

• Analyze the sensitivity of long-term bio-C retention to product lifetime assumptions and lifetime distribution functions.
• Model the impact of the methane generation factor in landfills on cumulative methane-related global warming impacts.
• Track the fate of stored bio-C across recycling, landfill, and emission pathways using the lifetime-based discharge framework.
• Quantify gross additions to stock (GAS) of biogenic carbon in durable goods for climate policy assessment.

Strengths

• Provides a quantified global estimate of 0.96 ± 0.15 gigatons of biogenic carbon stored in 2011.
• Applies a novel material flow analysis framework distinguishing feedstock uses from gross additions to stock.
• Includes sensitivity analyses on key parameters like product lifetime and methane generation, revealing substantial variability.

Limitations

• The dataset is very small at 67.9 KB, indicating limited raw data or aggregated summary results.
• Data is based on a single reference year (2011), limiting analysis of trends over time.
• Model projections to 2100 depend on assumptions about product lifespans and discharge pathways.

Provenance

Source

Kaan Hidiroglu via figshare.

Collection Method

Developed using Multi-Regional Supply-Use Tables and detailed extension accounts for material flow analysis.

Time Range

Primary data for 2011, with model projections to 2100.

Freshness

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

Geography

Global economy.