On August 1st, the afforestation carbon sink CCER (China Certified Emission Reduction) project at Dulart Forest Farm in Arxan City, developed by Arxan Mulinsen Seedling and Afforestation Co., Ltd., completed its public announcement. This milestone signifies its entry into the national carbon market and verification phase, highlighting Inner Mongolia's leading role in unlocking the "carbon sink code" of forests, grasslands, and wetlands.
"Green carbon" edge: top in China for carbon storage
As China's largest and most diverse ecological functional area in the north, Inner Mongolia has exceptional green carbon potential. It has 357 million mu (23.8 million hectares) of forests (ranking first), 815 million mu (54.33 million hectares) of grasslands (second), and 73 million mu (4.87 million hectares) of wetlands (fourth) nationwide.
To date, the total carbon stored in forests, grasslands, and wetlands exceeds 1.0538 billion tons, with an annual carbon sink capacity of 119 million tons of CO? equivalent—ranking first in China. "Afforestation carbon sinks, a key part of green carbon, use afforestation to let forests absorb and store CO?," an expert from the Inner Mongolia Forestry and Grassland Bureau explained. Green carbon also includes grassland and wetland carbon sinks, forming a terrestrial carbon sequestration network.
CCER afforestation projects follow specific methods: selecting qualified land and tree species, calculating emission reductions, and obtaining state certification for carbon market trading. Enterprises buy these quotas to offset emissions. In recent years, Inner Mongolia has turned its ecological achievements (e.g., the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Project) into tradable assets, gaining both ecological and economic benefits while leading China in forestry carbon sink development.
Multi-pronged solutions for project development
"Not all forests qualify for carbon sink projects," Liu Wei of Inner Mongolia Mengcao Ecological Carbon Sink Technology Co., Ltd. told Outlook Weekly. Eligibility requires clear land type and ownership, and plots ≥400 sq meters (≥667 sq meters for pre-2019 projects), which requires extensive surveys and data.
Inner Mongolia has tackled bottlenecks by working with enterprises: customizing solutions, standardizing data lists and guides, upgrading technologies, and developing profit-sharing innovations. For land type verification, Arxan's Carbon Sink Office combined satellite images, on-site surveys by experts, and supporting materials such as land contracts to create a 3D verification system. The Dulart project, for example, accurately identified 80,000 mu (5,333 hectares) of land through multiple surveys and remote sensing.
Technologically, Arxan introduced drones and radars to replace manual surveys. Xing'an League developed a "DBH-tree height-crown width" carbon calculation model, reducing measurement time by 70 percent, increasing accuracy to 95 percent, and lowering costs by 50 percent. A GIS-based "one map" platform allows the visual assessment of carbon sinks.
Regarding profit-sharing, Xing'an League implements a tiered model: 7:3 (government:enterprise) for prices ≤100 yuan/tonne; 8:2 for 100-200 yuan/tonne;, 9:1 for 200-300 yuan/tonne; enterprises receive nothing above 300 yuan/tonne. This approach balances interests and minimizes price volatility risks.
Bridging the talent gap
Carbon sink teams lack forestry professionals, needing "carbon-forest" interdisciplinary talents. Inner Mongolia has tackled this via collaboration:
The autonomous region collaborated with Beijing Forestry University to establish an 11-member expert advisory committee comprising representatives from leading institutions, which developed policies such as the 2025-2035 Forestry and Grassland Carbon Sink Plan.
Xing'an League partnered with leading enterprises (e.g., Inner Mongolia Forest Industry Group) and conducted eight training sessions for over 750 people, covering methodology and transactions.
Enterprises like Inner Mongolia Greater Khingan Range Carbon Sink Technology adopted "flexible talent introduction" (e.g., expert on-site guidance) and "mentoring" to build teams. They also co-developed university courses for targeted training.
Diversifying carbon sink transactions
Since China's 2024 voluntary emission reduction market restart, no CCER afforestation projects have been listed. Inner Mongolia is exploring "carbon sink +" models to boost value:
Carbon sink + research: Arxan's "Carbon Search Journey" (with Tsinghua University) allows students to measure trees to understand carbon sinks. Ticket and course fees convert ecological value into profit.
Carbon sink + tourism: Arxan's mini-program calculates tourists' carbon footprints, and low-carbon travelers receive discounts. Hulunbuir launched a "zero-carbon train," offsetting 40.27 tons of emissions through carbon sink purchases.
Carbon sink + judiciary: Inner Mongolia Forest Industry Group collaborated with procuratorates to resolve over 120 "carbon compensation" cases by 2025, generating more than 1.2 million yuan. Revenues support forest protection, creating a "protection-value-feedback" cycle.
These efforts promote Inner Mongolia's green transition, creating a model for turning "lush mountains and clear waters" into "gold and silver mountains."