NOAA Carbon Monitoring, Research and Innovation: Long-Standing Foundation to Support Climate Mitigation

NOAA has over 50 years of experience monitoring global atmospheric levels of greenhouse gasses (GHG) emitted to the atmosphere by human activities and natural sources. This includes, most notably, CO2 and other GHG concentration measurements at its atmospheric baseline observatories (e.g., Mauna Loa) and its Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network. NOAA is largely responsible for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standard for CO2 and several other GHG measurements, providing a solid foundation for well-calibrated global atmospheric GHG measurements. The NOAA carbon monitoring covers both the atmosphere and the oceans and its unique multi-platform approach to observing GHGs includes the ocean observing capabilities of air-sea carbon fluxes and pCO2 measurements, among other key assets. Innovative research supported by NOAA has leveraged long-term GHG monitoring, has accelerated the development of global GHG models, and advanced GHG research and accounting on urban, regional and global scales. NOAA’s GHG capabilities span measurements, process research, modeling, data assimilation and products such as Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI) as well as future climate projections for IPCC reports and the National Climate Assessment. NOAA uniquely includes research and service capabilities under one roof. Decades of experience in carbon cycle research, including GHG monitoring, modeling and data assimilation provide the ideal foundation to accelerate national and international efforts for carbon measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification (MMRV). This presentation will highlight the latest developments in NOAA carbon research and innovation in support of MMRV and climate mitigation.