The Importance of CO₂ Variations for Informed Climate Action
Topics
atmospheric growth rate, long-term observations, CO2 concentrations
Understanding greenhouse gases to support climate action
Topics
CO₂ fluxes, CO₂ concentrations, maps, fossil fuel emissions
Key messages
The maps presented in this article illustrate the three major CO₂ fluxes for Europe and adjacent ocean areas in 2021:
(A) Biogenic fluxes of land ecosystems,
(B) Ocean fluxes,
(C) Human emissions of fossil fuels.
(A) Biogenic fluxes of land ecosystems,
(B) Ocean fluxes,
(C) Human emissions of fossil fuels.
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Are carbon sinks at risk?
Volume 1, 2022
This inaugural edition of FLUXES explores how long-term observation data can answer questions such as:
Has there been an acceleration of the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?’
Has extreme weather in Europe influenced the carbon cycle of ecosystems and, consequently, changed their ability to store carbon?’
FLUXES, The European Greenhouse Gas Bulletin: Nature-based solutions for net zero might help – but they won’t save us
06 July 2023
Carbon emissions and sinks vary between the years
Topics
CO₂ fluxes, biogenic fluxes, land ecosystems, ocean fluxes, human emissions
Key messages
► The maps in this article present the three major CO₂ fluxes for Europe and nearby ocean areas, and their variation from 2018 to 2022: biogenic fluxes of land ecosystems, ocean fluxes, and human emissions from fossil fuels.
► Series of maps 1: Net carbon dioxide uptake in the land ecosystems
► Series of maps 2: Net carbon dioxide uptake in the ocean
► Series of maps 3: Carbon dioxide emissions from human activity
► Series of maps 1: Net carbon dioxide uptake in the land ecosystems
► Series of maps 2: Net carbon dioxide uptake in the ocean
► Series of maps 3: Carbon dioxide emissions from human activity
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Annual mean net ecosystem exchange of central Europe in 2018-2021.
The complex chemistry behind the alarming growth in methane
Topics
methane, COVID-19 lockdown, tropical wetlands
Key messages
► The methane cycle in the atmosphere is complex, since it has both natural and human-related sources, and their processes are interlinked.
► The amount of methane in the atmosphere is affected by the amount of other gases like nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), which break down methane.
► During the COVID-19 pandemic, less nitrogen oxide was released into the atmosphere from traffic and industries. As there was less nitrogen oxide to break down methane, more methane remained in the atmosphere.
► Heavy rains in tropical wetlands, due to climate change, increased natural methane emissions during 2021 and 2022.
► Thus two phenomena – less removal and more natural emissions – together caused peaking of growth rate of methane in the two years.
► The amount of methane in the atmosphere is affected by the amount of other gases like nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), which break down methane.
► During the COVID-19 pandemic, less nitrogen oxide was released into the atmosphere from traffic and industries. As there was less nitrogen oxide to break down methane, more methane remained in the atmosphere.
► Heavy rains in tropical wetlands, due to climate change, increased natural methane emissions during 2021 and 2022.
► Thus two phenomena – less removal and more natural emissions – together caused peaking of growth rate of methane in the two years.
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The natural carbon sinks might support u us in our last stretch towards carbon neutrality. However, the atmosphere is very complex. Methane concentrations have been on the rise since 2007, with a record growth rate in Europe in 2020-2021. Reasons for the growth are human-induced emissions, the chemical interplay of gases, and increased natural emissions caused by climate change.