Terrestrial Carbon Observations TCO Previous Strategy 1- better identify the potential end users, and their requirements 2- organize and coordinate reliable data and information on carbon 3- promote international efforts for standardization of data and models 4- link the science community with the conventions and potential users Data considered (from local to regional and global scale): - in situ data - remote sensing - terrestrial ecosystems

TTCO “Quantification, understanding and prediction, by a multi- disciplinary integrated approach, of GHG emissions and its associated spatial and temporal variability in Sub-Saharan Africa” CarboAfrica is an international project funded by the European Commission under the 6 th Framework Programme. The overarching goal of CARBOAFRICA is to expand and coordinate a Carbon and greenhouse gases (GHGs) terrestrial monitoring network of Sub-Saharan Africa. CarboAfrica TCO supports the CarboAfrica Project

The CarboAfrica Objectives To expand and coordinate a first Carbon and GHGs terrestrial monitoring network of Sub-Saharan Africa, in order to: - better quantify GHGs emissions in Sub-Saharan Africa (considering also fires and deforestation) - better understand the role of fire emissions on the African GHGs balance and its global implications - better understand the Africa's role in the global climate system - improve the assessment of the land use change and evaluate the potential for carbon sequestration (CDM) and the reduced emissions by avoiding deforestation (REDD) -promote the integration of the environmental dimension in the African socio-economic context. -Capacity building + training workshops

Eddy covariance sites already available in Africa Eddy covariance sites that will be established by CARBOAFRICA stations for atmospheric measurements Carbon Flux network: 16 stations (covering the main covering all main African ecosystem types) of which 2 new (including the 1 st in an African tropical forest, in Ghana) + 2 Atmospheric CO 2 stations + Airborne campaigns (CARE experiment) The CarboAfrica NetWork

1 st Flux Tower in a African Tropical Forest (Ghana, Ankasa Conservation Area) Height: 65 m

CarboAfrica, jointly with GCP, has coordinated the publication of a special issue on: "Carbon cycling in Sub-Saharan Africa" Eds. R. Valentini, J. Canadell, and A. Bombelli BioGeoScience 14 papers published, including “An outlook on the Sub-Saharan Africa carbon balance” TTCO CarboAfrica Publications

FLUXNET is a global network of micrometeorological tower sites that use eddy covariance methods to measure the exchanges of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy between terrestrial ecosystem and atmosphere. At present, over 500 sites are operating on a long-term and continuous basis, even for more than 10 years. Researchers also collect data on site vegetation, soil, hydrologic, and meteorological characteristics at the tower sites. TCO endorse FLUXNET, a global network for carbon fluxes

CARBOEUROPE 109 sites from Spain to Siberia! Main FluxNet networks AMERIFLUX 132 sites from South America to Alaska! ASIA FLUX 21 sites CARBOAFRICA 16 sites, from grasslands to tropical forest

TCO supported the FLUXNET Synthesis Workshop (18-22 Feb 2007, LaThuile, Italy) The main results included: 1.the production of a standardized database of carbon, water and energy fluxes (consisting of about 620 years of data from 180 eddy covariance sites); 2.the definition of a common policy for data distribution 3.the foundations for the harmonization of the different eddy covariance networks. TCO Terrestrial Carbon Observations

TCO and ECVs Essential climate variables (ECVs) UNFCCC-SBSTA called GTOS to assess the status of the development of standards for each of the essential climate variables in the terrestrial domain. TCO has contributed to the development of the standard reports for the ECVs, in particular has coordinated the report on the ECV-12 Biomass. Biomass is a key variable to understand the global carbon cycle and climate change issues.

ECV importance Understanding and managing GHGs emissions and sinks is a fundamental step for avoiding dangerous climate change. The proposal has been submitted to the GCOS (Global Climate Observing System) programme, responsible for the whole ECV process. TCO supports the proposal of a new ECV: TERRESTRIAL CARBON FLUXES TCO Terrestrial Carbon Observations

TCO is actively involved in the revision of the new GEO WorkPlan and contributes to the following GEO tasks: AR-09-03a Global Terrestrial Observations CL-09-03a Integrated Global Carbon Observation (IGCO) US-09-03b Forest Mapping and Change Monitoring CL-09-03b Forest Carbon Tracking &

& GTOS-TCO contributed to the GEO Carbon Community of Practice (CCoP) since its beginning (May 2009, Canberra). The need for a CCoP come from the recognized importance of an improved understanding of the global C-cycle and its components. The first product is the GEO C-report for an Integrated Global Carbon Strategy, released as first draft during the GEO VI plenary (Washington, 17-18/11/09) and that will be distributed as summary at COP 15 (Copenhagen, Dec09). GEO Carbon Community of Practice (CCoP) CL-09-03a Integrated Global Carbon Observation (IGCO)

TCO – Publications Last TCO publication is: Terrestrial Carbon Observations: Protocols for Forest Sampling and Data Submission Law et al., GTOS-55 available at:

TCO – New Panel Chair Proposal of a new panel chair Beverly Law Oregon State University Welcome Bev!