Biogenic carbon

Biogenic carbon is carbon taken up from the air by plants, such as cotton, wood or paper fibre, and released again when the material breaks down or burns.

Because it was absorbed from the atmosphere while the plant grew, it is treated differently from carbon in fossil fuels. ISO 14067 asks for biogenic emissions and removals to be reported separately from the main total.

Land-use change, such as clearing forest to grow a crop, is reported separately as well.