Impact of modelling choices on setting the reference levels for the EU forest carbon sinks: how do different assumptions affect the country-specific forest reference levels?

Table 3 Change in the FRL (including HWP) at the aggregate EU28 level measured as the difference in the estimated FRL between scenarios

	Alternatives (Alt) for the comparison	Scenarios used for comparison
Starting year of projections
Starting projections in 2015 instead of 2010	Alt 1	A → B
	Alt 2	G → J
	Alt 3	H → K
Stratification of managed forest land
No stratification according to tree species	Alt 1	F → D
No stratification according to MAI	Alt 1	F → C
No stratification according to tree species and MAI	Alt 1	F → E
Allocation of forest management practices
Latest instead of average data sources used to allocate forest management practices	Alt 1	A → F
	Alt 2	B → I
Timing of management activities
Latest instead of combined rotation time	Alt 1	H → G
Latest instead of combined rotation time	Alt 2	K → J
Average instead of combined rotation time	Alt 1	H → F
Average instead of combined rotation time	Alt 2	K → I
Climate change
Including consideration to climate change	Alt 1	I → L

Note that different ways that the scenarios can be contrasted to each other to draw lessons concerning a specific modelling assumption is here defined as an alternative (Alt)