Carbon Inventory Assessment: A Strategy to Implement Nature-based Solution on Corporate Decarbonization Program of Balikpapan Refinery

¹ Master Program of Sustainability Science, Graduate School, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
² Center for Environment and Sustainability Science (CESS), Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung 40132, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Increasing national climate change commitments have driven corporations to adopt measurable decarbonization strategies, including nature-based solutions (NbS). This study aims to assess carbon stock within an existing corporate decarbonization program to support future emission reduction strategies. The research applied a mixed-method approach, including document review of biodiversity and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, field-based biomass sampling in conservation areas, and carbon estimation using allometric equations. Field data were integrated with satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values and analyzed using simple linear regression to develop a predictive carbon stock model, followed by spatial mapping using raster analysis. The results indicate a strong relationship between NDVI and carbon stock, with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.706, suggesting that NDVI explains approximately 71% of carbon stock variability in the Balikpapan Refinery area. Total carbon stock within the conservation area was estimated at 311,968 tons, with CO₂-equivalent of carbon stock (tCO₂e) of 1,144,924.5 tons. CSR programs contributed an additional reduction of 18,359.77 tons CO₂, resulting in a total carbon absorption of 1,163,284.5 tons. These findings provide a robust baseline for corporate decarbonization planning and highlight the strategic importance of NbS in compensating for emissions from industrial operations.