CARBO-INVENT sets up a system to quantify carbon (C) stock changes at national scales to meet commitments of the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol (KP), in five parts:

C inventories of above- and below-ground biomass:
Data related to biomass allocation of different tree species by regions are collected and refined. A database of biomass expansion factor (BEF) default values are developed using existing and new measurements. Procedures for harmonisation of sample based assessments, their methods and spatial/temporal resolutions are developed.

C inventories of soils and litter pools:
A map of forest soils are generated from the European Soil Reference Base. Soils surveys are integrated with national forest inventory data. Default values for soil C as model input and as pedotransfer variables are estimated.

Integration of multi-source inventory data:
Test sites are used to integrate BEF estimates with soil C, forest inventory data and remote sensing techniques. Improved national/regional estimates of C stock and stock change in biomass and soil of European forests are produced and their robustness and cost effectiveness assessed. This integration of multi-source inventory data results in a "national system", as required by the KP. All methods are applied at boreal, continental, oceanic, alpine and mediterranean test sites and upscaling procedures are developed, with special attention on assessment accuracy and error propagation. Criteria of good practice in reporting of land-use, land use change and forestry are derived.

C budgets for activities under KP Art. 3.3 and 6.:
Multi-source inventory methods are integrated in test sites towards stock-change estimates at national and project levels, based on the definitions and accounting rules of the KP.

Techniques for monitoring impacts of forest management changes and disturbances on C stocks are developed.