GEOCARBON is a European FP7 project with a global perspective, with the ultimate aim to lay the foundations for an operational Global Carbon Observing and Analysis System in support to both science and policy.

Why GEOCARBON?

A coordinated and sustained global effort is required to integrate and analyse a higher quantity and quality of CO2 and CH4 data, from in situ and remote sensing observations encompassing atmosphere, land and oceans.

Nowadays:

• there are many networks monitoring C-cycle / but there is a lack of continuity and sustainability, and there are still many under-represented regions and ecosystems types;
• there are many different methods to measure C-cycle / but the interoperability of the systems and intercomparison of the results are difficult;
• there are many C-budget estimates at different temporal and spatial scales / but there is still high uncertainty;
• there is an impressive wealth of scientific information / but it is difficult to translate science into policy relevant information.

Coordination for a global integration of the current carbon monitoring efforts and their datasets is needed to build an operational Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) for carbon.

Such an operational system will be essential to advance the current scientific knowledge, reduce the uncertainties and provide policy relevant information.

There is an increasing request by decision makers of systematic, consistent and transparent data, information and tools, for an independent and reliable verification system of greenhouse gas emissions and absorptions, and to timely address mitigation and adaptation policies.

The carbon cycle and its observing systems (circled). The arrows show the main annual fluxes in PgC yr^-1, the boxes show the reservoir sizes in PgC. The uncertainties of the given estimates are still high: in situ and remote sensing observations, encompassing atmosphere, land and oceans, and including the anthropogenic component, need to be coordinated, harmonized and integrated, to derive an improved and reliable global picture. This figure has been modified from the Contribution of  Working Group I to the IPCC AR4 (2007). IPCC numbers have been integrated and/or updated with data from Global Carbon Project and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

STARTING DATE: 01/10/2011                                                                              

DURATION: 36 months

TOTAL FUNDS: 8.6 M€ of which 6.6 M€ from EC

KEY WORDS: Carbon cycle; Observation system;  Data assimilation; GHG budget; Tropical Forests Monitoring