Presented at the 3rd ICOS Science Conference in Prague, Czech Republic, 11-13 Sep 2018.

2. GEO Carbon and GHG Initiative
VISION
In 2023 we have a global observation system of carbon
and GHGs that provides comprehensive data for scientists
and direct support for decision-making

3. Future2
Current state of the planet
Forecasts,
worst case
Present forecasts
Paris Agreement
SDGs
Targets
Not roadmap to results
but based on best
possible knowledge
desired Actions
Indicators
Follow the
realisation of
Targets
current actions
Role of Politics
Set the Goals
Create guidance network
Support and sanctions
Follow progress
Support Actions
Taxation, funding
Role of Science
Define current state
Make forecasts
Support Target-setting
Monitor Indicators,
estimate their suitability,
create new Indicators
Estimate efficiency of Actions
Support Actions
Products and Services
no actions
Forecasts,
optimal case
Three paths

4. UNFCCC: NDC and SDG Indicators’ development/improvement
IPCC: Assessment Reports, emission reporting guidelines
WMO: IG3IS - emissions from cities, hotspots; national inventories, stocktake
All continents: Advances towards optimised network design
• from data-centric to user-driven services
• operational anthropogenic CO2 Monitoring and Verification System (e.g. Copernicus)
• seeking synergies, development of RIs
Governments: Implementing
SDG system into existing
action plans
Cities: C40 in climate change is
growing, looking for scientific
knowledge
Businesses: Climate Leadership
Council in the US is looking for
businesses’ climate solutions, EC
guiding towards Innovations and
sustainable business
Common factor
- Based on data and
knowledge
Science can support all
these by
- joining forces
- making products and
services easily available
 Need for coordination
 Information system
development
Benefits
- Less overlapping work
- Gaps can be
systematically addressed
- More precise and timely
information
 Smart use of resources
Examples of current actions
Progress in all fronts

5. Carbon Cycle Climate Change
Ecosystems Oceans Atmosphere Gases Aerosols Human
activities
Natural
processes
NEON
eLTER
SOCAt
GOOS
ARGO
IG3IS
GAW
IAGOS
ICOS
TCCON ACTRiS AnaEE
CEOS
Blue
Planet
… and many others!
FLUXNET NIES
USGS
JAXA
GEO-C
Engaging end-users
Harmonising our products
and services
- Findable
- Accessible
- Interoperable
- Reusable
Linking scientific community
more strongly together
Cross-domain
Science and policy-making

6. Current situation
AIM: Coherent and global GHG observations
ContributionstoglobalGHG
observations
Distributed and mostly independent observations and programs with obscure relations
… and many others!

7. GEO-C’s role: follow landscape
AIM: Coherent and global GHG observations
GlobaloceansurfaceCO2concentrations
GlobalCO2concentrations
USGHGfluxes
EuropeanGHGfluxesandconcentrations
GlobalGHGfluxes
Sustaineddevelopmentoftheoceans
CoordinatedEOsatelliteobservations
AtmosphericGHGconcentrations
JapaneseGHGfluxesandconcentrations
Current contributions
Gaps to be
filled
… and many others!

8. Task 1 – User needs and policy interface:
to engage with users and policy makers and ensure the consistency with their evolving
needs in order to drive the activities of the GEO Carbon and GHG Initiative and
address the policy agenda.
Task 2 – Data access and availability:
to provide long-term, high quality and open access near-real-time data and data
products, complying with the GEOSS principles, from a domain-overarching carbon
cycle and GHGs monitoring system.
Task 3 – Optimization of observational networks:
to develop and implement a procedure for achieving observations of identified
essential carbon cycle variables within user-defined specifications and at minimum
total cost.
Task 4 – Elaborated products and services:
To support the development of consistent budgets of GHGs (CO2, CH4, and N2O) across
scales using a combination of observations, inventories, models and data assimilation
techniques.
2
1
3
4
Tasks and implementation

10. Engagements
Participants have been active
in different parts of GEO-C
Tasks
Coordination
Visibility
Funding
Connections
Projects
Participants