The Copernicus Atmospheric Watch Service (CAMS) expects to be able to estimate and measure CO2 and CH4 emissions resulting from human activity with “unprecedented precision and detail and near real time” by 2026.
The Atmospheric Surveillance Service of Copernicus (CAMS) announced this Tuesday in the framework of the XXVI Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) held in Glasgow (United Kingdom) that is working on a novel tool with which you can monitor the anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) almost in real time and individually.
During the presentation, Copernicus representatives said that CAMS scientists will be able to estimate and measure CO2 and CH4 emissions with “unprecedented precision and detail and in near real time.”
Although satellites already measure changes in CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, these measurements are mainly related to variations in the natural carbon cycle, such as those generated by forest fires or photosynthesis.
Till the date it has not yet been possible to calculate emissions from anthropogenic sources in isolation, that is, the gases emitted as a result of human activities. The new CO2MVS service It will be a “revolutionary change” in the fight against climate change, since it will allow the entire planet to be monitored from space in just a few days, and even locate isolated sources of carbon dioxide and methane, such as power plants and fossil fuel production plants. You will also be able to provide detailed data at the regional level to assess changes in emissions against local reduction targets.
The project is not exclusive to Copernicus, since this CAMS, which is implemented through the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (CEPMPM) on behalf of the European Commission and with funding from the EU, works in collaboration with other organizations and experts such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) to provide the first European capacity to support the monitoring and verification of anthropogenic CO2 emissions (CO2MVS).
Copernicus expects the CO2MVS to be “fully operational by 2026”. With this, the initiative will arrive in time to participate in the second global inventory of greenhouse gas emissions of the countries participating in the Paris Agreement, which will conclude in 2028.
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