Current Status and Challenges ofGreenhouse Gas Observation
and Data Utilization
Japan’s Contribution to the Paris Agreement

Task Team on the International Initiatives towards
Promotion of Greenhouse Gas Observation
Office for Coordination of Climate Change Observation (OCCCO)

Current Status and Challenges ofGreenhouse Gas Observation
and Data Utilization
Japan’s Contribution to the Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement established a long-term goal of keeping the global average temperature
well below 2 °C above the pre-industrial level by achieving a balance between anthropogenic
emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the second half of
this century.
To monitor and evaluate the impacts of climate change measures for implementing the Paris
Agreement, accurate knowledge of emission trends and reliable GHG inventories are essential.
Emission reporting from developing countries is particularly important.
There has been an increase in the number of observational platforms, such as satellites, aircraft,ships, and ground stations, for monitoring the concentrations of atmospheric GHGs and theirsurface fluxes. National and regional inventories of emissions have also been prepared at higher
spatial and temporal resolutions.
The reliability of evaluations of natural and anthropogenic sources and sinks has also been
improved in recent years by combining data regarding sources and sinks with advanced analysis
systems such as “top-down” (with atmospheric observations and inverse modeling) and “fluxupscaling” (with surface flux/emission network data and upscaling) methods.
Estimating emissions based on Earth observations for GHGs has enormous potential for
providing additional sources of information that can complement national inventories. In
particular, emissions from expanding megacities, intermittent emissions from agricultural fields
and forest (peat) fires, and emissions from large-scale land-use change are essential targets.
Relevant Japanese institutions and agencies for GHG observation and analysis will cooperate
to improve up-to-date analysis systems and data coverage in Asia – Oceania for better estimationof emission distributions with sufficient accuracy, and to provide the data and knowledge
to stakeholders in time with the Global Stocktake Process under the Paris Agreement forverification of impacts of mitigation actions.

1Ground-based Monitoring
Atmospheric concentrations of GHGs at near-ground levels
In 1987, Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) started monitoring of CO2 at
Ryori for the first time in Japan as a GAW Regional Station. Observation of
GHGs started successively also at Minamitorishima (GAW Global Station) andYonagunijima (GAW Regional Station). The datasets are provided through theWorld Data Centre for Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG) (see page 7).

Location of GHG observation conducted by JMA

Ryori

Yonagunijima

Minamitorishima

The National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) conducts monitoring of the atmospheric GHGs such as CO2 atCape Ochiishi, Hokkaido, Hateruma Island, Okinawa, and the summit of Mt. Fuji. NIES analyzes the variations in mixing
ratios and isotope ratios of GHGs and other related atmospheric species, andprovide monitoring data on its website (http://db.cger.nies.go.jp/portal/) and on
WDCGG.

Monitoring station, Cape
OchiishiMonitoring station, Hateruma Mt. Fuji automated weather
stationAnnual variations in CO2 concentration

Column-averaged concentrations of GHGs
Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) isa ground-based observation network for column-averaged
concentrations of GHGs (averaged concentrations fromthe surface of the earth to the top of the atmosphere), andprovides an essential validation resource for the satellitebased GHG observation as well as modeling.

Rikubetsu TCCON site at Rikubetsu Integrated Stratospheric
Observation Center, NIES, Rikubetsu, Asyoro, Hokkaido(upper right) Solar tracker installed on the roof of the building(lower right) High-resolution FTS (IFS 120/5 HR)

2

Ship-based Monitoring
JMA has conducted oceanographic observations in the western North Pacific by the
Research Vessels (R/Vs) Ryofu Maru and Keifu Maru to monitor the long-term
variability of ocean-related changes. Recently, JMA reconstructs surface ocean carbonate
system parameters including monthly sea surface pH and oceanic CO2 sink after
1990 based on global observation databases, SOCAT (https://www.socat.info/) andGLODAP, and the gridded datasets are released through the JMAs website.

R/V Keifu Maru

R/V Ryofu Maru

Observations of atmospheric and surface
seawater pCO2 by two research vessels
from 1980s to the present

NIES has implemented GHG and ocean surface CO2 monitoring in the Pacific using volunteer observing ships since 1995.
The observed data are published through the international database, SOCAT, and contribute to the evaluation of air-sea CO2
exchange and to the examination of ocean acidification.
Parallelly, NIES also has carried out observations for atmospheric GHGs and related
species on the Japan-south eastern Asia route, in order to understand the temporalvariations of atmospheric tracer
gases and their emissions from
Asian countries.

Observation routes

Trans Future 5

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) operates the Research Vessel (R/V) Mirai, which isone of the largest research vessels in the world. With her high navigating capability, she has conducted physical, biogeochemicaland geological observations associated with environmental changes in the world’s oceans. Observation of atmospheric andsurface seawater partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2) is one of the missions of the R/V Mirai.
Recently, spatial and temporal variations of air-sea fluxes of CO2 in the Arctic Ocean,
where impacts of global warming are predicted to be most clearly revealed, were clarified byhistorical data including measurements by the R/V Mirai.

R/V Mirai

3

Underway system for atmospheric Observations of atmospheric and surface
and surface seawater pCO2,
seawater pCO2 by the R/V Mirai frommounted on the R/V Mirai
1998 to the present

Map for air-sea fluxes of CO2 in the
Arctic Ocean, which was constructedusing historical data including
measurements by the R/V Mirai

Airborne-based Monitoring
JMA has observed GHGs in the upper air
levels at an altitude of about 6 km, using
aircraft with support from Japan Ministryof Defense since February 2011 duringa regular flight between Atsugi andMinamitorishima once a month to clarify
the three-dimensional distributions ofgreenhouse and other related gases.

CO2

CH4

Aircraft C-130H

The CONTRAIL (Comprehensive Observation Network
for Trace Gases by Airliner) project is conducted by
NIES, Meteorological Research Institute, Japan Airlines(JAL), JAMCO and JAL Foundation. The project
observes CO2 and other greenhouse gases by Continuous
CO2 Measuring Equipment and Automatic air Sampling
Equipment onboard Boeing 777 aircraft operated by

Observation routes

JAL. By using commercial airliners flying regularly, thefrequency and geographical coverage of observations
have been significantly improved.
(CONTRAIL http://www.cger.nies.go.jp/contrail/)

Forward Cargo
Room

Aft Cargo
RoomContinuous CO2
Measuring Equipment

Automatic Air Sampling
Equipment

Boeing 777 aircraft and two research equipment

4Satellite-based Monitoring
The Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), launched in 2009, is theworld’s first satellite dedicated to measuring the atmospheric concentrationsof CO2 and CH4, two major GHGs, from space.
The purpose of GOSAT is to estimate emissions and absorptions of CO2
and CH4 on a sub-continental scale (several thousand square kilometers)
more accurately, and to assist environmental administration in evaluating the© JAXA

GOSAT

carbon balance of the land ecosystem and making assessments of regionalemissions and absorptions.
GOSAT observes the sunlight, that passes through the Earth’s atmosphere,reflects off the Earth’s surface, and reaches to the satellite, with a very highspectral resolution. By analyzing the observed spectra, the concentrations ofgases in the Earth’s atmosphere, such as CO2 and CH4, can be estimated.
As the successor to the GOSAT mission, GOSAT-2 will be launched in
October 2018 to continue global GHGs measurements started by GOSAT© JAXAGOSAT-2nine years ago, with its further advanced earth observation instruments.
GOSAT and GOSAT-2 data are and will be publicly available after periodical
validations using more accurate ground-based data. These validated data
are being utilized in the study to understand the relationshipbetween climate change and carbon cycle.
The Paris Agreement requires its parties to submit their annual
greenhouse gas emission inventory data to the United Nations.
Validated GOSAT-2 data will also help evaluate and improve
GHG inventories of both developed and developing countries inan open and transparent way.
GOSAT, GOSAT-2, and related activities are jointly promotedby the Japanese Ministry of the Environment (MOE), theNational Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), and the5Whole-atmosphere monthly mean CO2 concentration and its
trend based on GOSAT observations from April 2009 to July 2018(http://www.gosat.nies.go.jp/en/recent-global-co2.html)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in collaboration

Whole-atmosphere monthly mean CH4 concentration and its
trend based on GOSAT observations from April 2009 to July 2018(http://www.gosat.nies.go.jp/en/recent-global-ch4.html)

Simulated global distribution of surface CO2 concentrations on April
1st, 2015 based on GOSAT data
(https://data2.gosat.nies.go.jp/gallery/L4B/concmov/concmov.html)

with international partners.

Upscaling Terrestrial Carbon and GHG Fluxes
Monitoring of forest carbon dynamics
Long-term monitoring of forest dynamics can help us estimate changes in forest carbon
stocks more accurately. The monitoring plot network operated by Forestry and Forest
Products Research Institute (FFPRI) covers the forests from Siberia to the Equator andsupplies vital insights into the mechanisms underlying the current responses of ecosystems to
the climate and the possible future of East and Southeast Asia under global change scenarios.

Monitoring plots in the network
Copyright© T-worldatlas All rights Reserved.

Ground-based inventory forcarbon stock estimation

Annual fluctuations in carbon stocks at the monitoring plots

Monitoring of GHG flux in terrestrial ecosystems using Eddy Covariance flux towers
and their network
Monitoring of GHGs such as CO2 and CH4 in terrestrial ecosystem has
been started in 1993 by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST), NIES, FFPRI, National Agriculture
and Food Research Organization (NARO), JAMSTEC and otherFuji-Hokuroku, Japan (NIES)

Teshio, Japan(Hokkaido Univ., NIES)

research institutes and universities in Japan using micrometeorologicalmethods such as the eddy covariance method. Monitoring of soil efflux
has also been conducted using automated chambers. NIES has been
conducting soil warming experiments at 10 forest sites to evaluate theecosystem response to climate change. “AsiaFlux” is a regional research
network under FLUXNET, and NIES supports the secretariat office.

Takayama, Japan (AIST)

Automated chambers for soil
efflux monitoring at Pasoh,
Malaysia (NIES)

Sakaerat, Thailand (AIST)

Location of AsiaFlux-registered
flux monitoring sites(http://asiaflux.net)
Mae Klong,Thailand (AIST)

Poker Flat Research Range Flux
Observation Supersite in Alaska, USA(JAMSTEC, IARC)

6

Data Distribution Service
World Data Center for Atmospheric GHG Concentrations

Data Distribution Service

WDCGG is one of the World Data Centres under WMO’s Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) programme. It serves to gather,archive andprovidedataforonAtmospheric
GHGs (COCH4, CFCs, (WDCGG)
N2O, etc.) and related gases (e.g., CO) in the atmosphere and ocean,2, Concentrations
World
Data Center
GHG
WDCGG
of theWorld
Dataprogrammes.
Centers under WMO‘s
Global Atmosphere
programme.
to gather,as observed
underis one
GAW
and
other
The website,
operatedWatch
since(GAW)
October
1990 Itbyserves
JMA,
provides informationarchive and provide data on GHGs (CO2, CH4, CFCs, N2O, etc.) and related gases (e.g., CO) in the atmosphere and ocean, as

on GHGs,observed
includingpublications
anddata
contributedorganizations
and individual
researchers
underWDCGG
GAW and otherprogrammes.
Themeasurement
website, operated
since
October 1990by
by JMA,
provides information
on
GHGs, including WDCGG publications and measurement data contributed by organizations and individual researchers

around thearoundworld.
the world.

https://gaw.kishou.go.jp/

Observation Stations
around the world

WDCGG

WebsiteUsers

Archive

Scientists
Datasubmission

Relatedorganizations

Analysis

Policymakers

Products

WDCGG Data Summary
Annual report on the latest
status of atmospheric GHGs

WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin

Supporting Tools

WMO GHG bulletin with global analyses of
GHGs provided by WDCGG

Data search form and map,
Quick plots of data

Database for surface ocean CO2 (SOCAT) and terrestrial GHG flux monitoring
network (FLUXNET)
Database for Surface Ocean CO2 (SOCAT) and Terrestrial GHG Flux Monitoring Network (FLUXNET)The International
Ocean
Surface
CO2
The InternationalIntegrated
Integrated Ocean
Surface
CO2 Observation

Database (Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas; SOCAT) project collects data
Observation
Database(Surface ofOcean
COsurface
SOCAT)
2 Atlas;seawater
fromon thepartial pressure
CO2 inaround pressure
the world ofandCO
promotesproject observational
collects datainstitutions
on the partialin2
quality control and standardization for the database.

In terrestrial
systems,
the global-scale
network
In terrestrial
systems,
the global-scaleobservationobservation
network FLUXNET
promotes collecting site information, standardizing observation
FLUXNETpromotescollectingsite information,
methods,
developing
data quality
control procedures,andestablishing and updating a database. AsiaFlux promotes networking
standardizing observation methods, developing data
Asian observation sites and collaborative research projects.

surface seawater from observational institutions around thequality control procedures, and establishing and updating aworld and promotes quality control and standardization for

database. AsiaFlux promotes networking Asian observation

the database.

sites and collaborative research projects.

Observation routes based on SOCAT (https://www.socat.info/).

Observation routes based on SOCAT (https://www.socat.info/)

7

AsiaFlux Webpage (http://asiaflux.net)

７ページ
AsiaFlux Webpage (http://asiaflux.net)

Data Integration and Inverse Model Estimation
for GHG Sources and Sinks
To develop integrated observation and analysis systems, atmospheric transport models and inverse systems are being developedand improved for estimating regional to global-scale GHG fluxes. Intermittent large-scale emission such as from a forest (peat)fire or from an agricultural field is one of the essential targets.

Atmospheric CO2 concentration fields
simulated by an atmospheric transportmodel “NICAM-TM”

Surface CO2 fluxes estimated by a trial experiment with a new atmospheric GHG
inverse system named NICAM-TM 4D-Var. The figures show monthly mean CO2 flux
distributions, focusing on regional anomalies due to biomass burnings for southeast
Asia in March (Left), South America in September (Mid), and Africa in September(Right), which are generated from pseudo observations.
(Niwa et al., 2017)

Demonstration of GHG Mitigation Options“Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD)” is one of water
management techniques to mitigate CH4 efflux from paddy
fields. The paddy soil is dried and flooded alternately, and the
paddy soil is oxidized to prevent anaerobic methane production
from soil microorganisms. Despite less consumption of irrigationwater compared to continuous flooding irrigation, yields wereincreased by AWD at most of the test sites in the Mekong Delta,
Vietnam.
Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences(JIRCAS) continues monitoring of the GHG emissions from the
paddy since 2013. The accumulated data is expected to clarify
the effects of the AWD technology on GHG emissions and rice

Weekly air sampling to monitor GHG emissions from paddy fields in
the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

yields as compared with conventional irrigation methods.

8

Providing Additional Information toComplement National Inventories
The reliability of evaluations of natural and anthropogenic sources and sinks is improved by combining data with such advanced
analysis systems as “top-down” and “flux upscaling” methods.

1) Top-down Analysis with Inverse
Models to Estimate GHG
Sources and Sinks

High-quality atmospheric GHG concentration
data observed using various platforms

Inverse analysis to estimate
GHG sources and sinks performed
to make the difference between
observed and modeled atmospheric GHG
concentrations minimal2) Flux Upscaling with Oceanic
and Terrestrial GHG Flux
Monitoring Data

Terrestrial and oceanic GHG flux (pCO2)
observed at multiple locations

Verification and optimization ofprocessbased models and machinelearning systems using observed data

Anthropogenic
andnatural GHG
sources & sinks

Natural GHG
sources & sinks(Ichii et al., 2017)

Evaluation of discrepancies in spatial
distribution for accuracy improvement3) Improvement of the Reliabilityof GHG Inventory Data

Anthropogenic sources

Estimating emissions based on Earthobservations for GHGs has a potential
for providing additional sources of
information that can complement
national inventories.

9

Spatialdownscaling
Estimating national
GHG emissions

Collaboration Among Japanese Agencies andInstitutions to Support Stakeholders
in Solving Social Issues
Relevant Japanese institutions and agencies for GHG observation and analysis will cooperate to improve up-to-date analysis
systems and data coverage in Asia – Oceania for better estimation of emission distributions with sufficient accuracy, and toprovide the data and knowledge to stakeholders in time with the Global Stocktake Process under the Paris Agreement forverification of impacts of mitigation actions.

Japanese Alliance for Climate Change Observation (JACCO)■■Member of Steering Committee of JACCO
Cabinet Office / Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) / Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology (MEXT) / Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) / Forestry Agency / Fisheries Agency (FA) / Ministryof Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) / Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) / Geospatial Information
Authority of Japan (GSI) / Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) / Japan Coast Guard / Ministry of the Environment (MOE)
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) / National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) / Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) / Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) / National Agriculture
and Food Research Organization (NARO) / Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) / Forestry andForest Products Research Institute (FFPRI) / Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA) / National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) / National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)■■A-PLAT (CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION INFORMATION PLATFORM)
A-PLAT is a portal that provides centralized information related to the impacts of climate change.
Aiming to support the local governments, businesses, and individuals to consider adaptation
measures to climate change, it collects and arranges scientific knowledge (observation data, climate
predictions, and impact predictions), and promotes information sharing among stakeholders.
10Data Catalog for GHG Observation and Related Products
AsiaFlux

http://asiaflux.net

Climate Change Adaptation Platform (A-PLAT)

http://www.adaptation-platform.nies.go.jp/en/index.html

Comprehensive Observation Network for TRace gases by AIrLiner (CONTRAIL)
http://www.cger.nies.go.jp/contrail/
Data Integration & Analysis System (DIAS)

http://www.diasjp.net/en/

Data Portal for FLUXNET (Fluxdata)

http://fluxnet.fluxdata.org/

Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI) Database
https://www.ffpri.affrc.go.jp/en/database.html
GHG Emissions Data of Japan

http://www-gio.nies.go.jp/aboutghg/nir/nir-e.html

Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) Portal
http://www.geoportal.org/
GLobal Ocean Data Analysis Project (GLODAP)
https://climatedataguide.ucar.edu/climate-data/glodap-global-ocean-data-analysis-project-carbon
Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) Data Archive Services
https://data2.gosat.nies.go.jp/index_en.html
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Observation / Research Result Database
http://global.jaxa.jp/projects/db/index.html
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) Databases
http://www.jamstec.go.jp/e/database/
Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) Database
https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/database
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Observation Data/Oceanic Carbon Cycle Products
https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/kaiyou/db/vessel_obs/data-report/html/ship/ship_e.php
https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/kaiyou/english/oceanic_carbon_cycle_index.html
National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) Global Environmental Database
http://db.cger.nies.go.jp/portal/
National Institute of Polar Research (NiPR) Database

http://www.nipr.ac.jp/english/database/

Office for Coordination of Climate Change Observation (OCCCO)
http://occco.nies.go.jp/e_index.html
Surface Ocean CO₂ Atlas (SOCAT)

https://www.socat.info/

Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON)

http://www.tccon.caltech.edu/

World Data Centre for Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG)

https://gaw.kishou.go.jp/

Pictures and figures by curtesy of: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF); Forestry Agency; Japan
Meteorological Agency (JMA); Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA); Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Scienceand Technology (JAMSTEC); Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS); Forestry
and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI); National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology(AIST); National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)

Task Team on the International Initiatives towards Promotion of Greenhouse Gas Observation
Office for Coordination of Climate Change Observation
National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)
16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
Telephone : +81-29-850-2980 Fax : +81-29-858-2645
E-mail : occco@nies.go.jp
http://occco.nies.go.jp/e_index.html
October 2018