Once a pixel is included, then it should continue to be tracked for all time. This will prevent the double counting of activities in the inventory and will also make emissions estimates more accurate.

Stocks may be attributed to pixels, but only change in stocks and consequent emissions and removals are reported with attention to continuity to prevent the risk of estimating large false emissions and removals as land moves between categories.

Tracking needs to be able to distinguish both land cover changes that are land-use changes, and land cover changes that lead to emissions within a land-use category. This prevents incorrect allocation of lands and incorrect emissions or removals factors or models being applied that could bias results.

Rules are needed to ensure consistent classification by eliminating oscillation of pixels between land uses when close to the definition limits.