Prototype system for a Copernicus CO2 service

To support EU countries in assessing their progress for reaching their targets agreed in the Paris Agreement, the European Commission has clearly stated that a way to monitor anthropogenic CO2 emissions is needed. Such a capacity would deliver consistent and reliable information to support policy- and decision-making processes.

To maintain Europe’s independence in this domain, it is imperative that the EU establishes an observation-based operational anthropogenic CO2 emissions Monitoring and Verification Support (MVS) capacity as part of its Copernicus programme.The CoCO2 Coordination and Support Action is intended as a continuation of the CO2 Human Emissions (CHE) project, led by ECMWF.

In the Work Programme, ECMWF is identified as the predefined beneficiary tasked to further develop the prototype system for the foreseen MVS capacity together with partners principally based on the CHE consortium.

In addition, ECMWF will continue some of the work initiated in the VERIFY project as well.The main objective of CoCO2 is to perform R&D activities identified as a need in the CHE project and strongly recommended by the European Commission's CO2 monitoring Task Force. The activities shall sustain the development of a European capacity for monitoring anthropogenic CO2 emissions.

The activities will address all components of the system, such as atmospheric transport models, re-analysis, data assimilation techniques, bottom-up estimation, in-situ networks and ancillary measurements needed to address the attribution of CO2 emissions.

The aim is to have prototype systems at the required spatial scales ready by the end of the project as input for the foreseen Copernicus CO2 service element.