Non-carbon Benefit Evaluation of Chinese Forest Carbon Sink: Based on AHP-EM-TOPSIS method

Non-carbon benefits are an important basis for the continuous improvement of forest carbon sink trading market. Based on the three-dimensional perspective of ecological, economic, and social aspects, this paper constructed a non-carbon benefit evaluation index system for forest carbon sink projects by using the combination method of subjective and objective weighting with the best-worst solution method (AHP-EM-TOPSIS), and conducted empirical measurements on the integrated efficiency of 34 internationally certified Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) forest carbon sink projects. The results show the followings: (1) Ecological benefits are the top priority of the non-carbon benefits of forest carbon exchange projects; (2) Compared with Guangdong, Hebei and other central-eastern regions, the non-carbon benefits of forest carbon exchange projects in Western Gansu and Qinghai are more significant; (3) Forest carbon sink projects have generally produced good social benefits, but the ecological benefits are still shortboards; (4) The non-carbon benefits of forest carbon sink projects have significant regional differences, yet projects within the same provincial domain exhibit homogeneity in non-carbon benefits.