The GEO Carbonand GHG Initiative
A. Bombelli et al.
Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, Italy

GEO-C: toward policy-relevant global
carbon cycle observation and analysis
The main aim of the GEO Carbon and GHG Initiative isto facilitate cooperation to develop a coordinated systemof domain overarching observations (atmosphere, land,oceans) from different platforms (space-based, air- andship-borne and in-situ monitoring systems) for monitoringand evaluating changes in the carbon and other cycles,and GHG emissions as they relate to human activities
and climate change, and to provide decision makers withtimely and reliable policy-relevant information.

GEO-C will----establish a common platform to plan joint strategies and implement joint activities
engage with users and policy makers and ensure the consistency with theirneeds, to drive the activities of the GEO Carbon and GHG Initiative and address
the policy agenda.
provide long-term, high quality and open access near-real-time data and data
products, complying with the GEOSS principles, from a domain-overarchingcarbon cycle and GHGs monitoring system.
develop and implement on an ongoing basis, a procedure for achievingobservations of identified essential carbon cycle variables within user-defined
specifications and at minimum total cost.
develop consistent budgets of GHGs from urban to global scales using a
combination of observations, inventories, models and data assimilation
techniques.

Ultimately, decision makers will be provided with policy-relevant data, information andproducts, of sufficient accuracy, coverage and timeliness that will support them inaddressing climate policies and anthropogenic climate change.

Engagement Priorities 2017-2019Five priorities:- 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development- Climate Change – Greenhouse Gas Monitoring- Disaster Risk Reduction- Resilient cities and human settlements- Ecosystem accounting
10 yrs of history
Paris Agreement(GEO carbon task + GEO
Carbon Community of Practice)

Criteria:- Political relevance building on well-established, recent
or upcoming international agreements- Strong and active communities and activities in GEO- Potential to secure resources… looking for2016 Rapid Assessment results (ii)• All 22 Initiatives contribute to SDGs (specific targets), for example

GEO-C is directly relevant to the following SDGs Goals:
CLIMATE SDG
SDGs Goal

Possible GEO-C contribution

Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate changeand its impacts
13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to
climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all
countries

By providing information useful for strategies on reduction ofclimate risk.

13.2 Integrate climate change measures into nationalpolicies, strategies and planning

By providing information needed for climate policies, strategies andplanning.

13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and humanand institutional capacity on climate change mitigation,adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

By providing information important for raising awareness andeducational purposes, and that are needed for adaptation andmitigation strategies.

13.b Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for
effective climate change-related planning andmanagement in least developed countries and small
island developing States, including focusing on women,
youth and local and marginalized communities

The GEO Carbon and GHG Initiative is global, and should carefully
address developing countries’ needs, including the provision of
information relevant to climate change-related planning andmanagement.

GEO-C is directly relevant to the following SDGs Goals:
OCEAN and ECOSYSTEMS SDGs
SDGs Goal

Possible GEO-C contribution

Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas andmarine resources for sustainable development

The GEO Carbon and GHG Initiative will measure,among others, ocean acidification (e.g. pH, pCO2) thatis not only a measure of the ocean status, but also of
CO2 uptake from the atmosphere.

Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use ofterrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat
desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt
biodiversity loss
15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable useof terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, inparticular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line withobligations under international agreements

By monitoring forests carbon stocks and fluxes. These
data are needed for forest conservation, and studies on
biodiversity, forest services, etc.

15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable managementof all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests andsubstantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally

By monitoring forests carbon stocks and fluxes. These
data are needed for sustainable forest management.

15.3 By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil,
including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive
to achieve a land degradation-neutral world

Soil carbon management is a key activity to combat
desertification and land degradation.

GEO-C can be indirectly relevant to the following SDGs Goals
SDGs Goal
Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Possible GEO-C contribution
By providing information for policy strategies to reduce the poor's
exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events.
By providing results useful to monitor and predict climate change
and its extremes and the following impacts on agriculture, and tobetter manage land while conserving carbon stocks.

Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security andimproved nutrition and promote sustainableagriculture
Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being Climate change implications on health and well-being can besignificant.
for all at all ages
Well preserved and managed carbon stocks, like forest plantations,
Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable,
can be a renewable source of energy.
sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable By providing information on carbon emissions, that are the basis for
economic growth, full and productive employment and the carbon footprint of material production and consumption along
their entire life cycle.
decent work for all
Climate change can trigger mass migration, and so climate-relevant
Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among
information should be taken into account by migration policies.
countries
Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, Cities are usually hotspots of carbon and GHG emissions.
Information on carbon cycle and GHG sources and sinks, and how
safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption andproduction patterns

to manage them at urban level, is very important for mitigation ofand resilience to climate change.
Natural resources are often directly linked to carbon cycle, andinformation on it is the basis for the carbon footprint of material
production and consumption.