Integrated Carbon Observation System

Group on Earth Observations – GEO Week 2023

Statement of the integrated carbon Observation System (ICOS ERIC)

In 2023, the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) has continued its efforts to produce and provide high-quality and open earth observational data, following the principles and engagements of GEO. The measurements of in situ concentrations and fluxes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, on land and in the oceans are essential information for many communities in GEO, be they satellite experts for the calibration and validation of their observations, modelers for input in their predictions of climate trends, or developers for the production of new tools based on EO data.

International cooperation is a pillar in the strategy of ICOS. By engaging in international cooperation frameworks like GEO or in multi-partner projects, ICOS supports a variety of communities towards a mutual exchange of knowledge. With a special focus on regions of the world where less data is available, ICOS fosters the model of European Research Infrastructures and supports the development of skills, for example through the long-term cooperation with African partners or in the more recent collaboration with China.

ICOS is convinced that a closer link between the objectives of all UN Conventions (on Climate Change, on Biological Diversity and to Combat Desertification) is key to the preservation of a habitable planet. As an Intergovernmental Organization Observer to the UNFCCC, ICOS is particularly committed to the goals of the Paris Agreement which the activities of GEO tend to align with. The observation data produced in each of the 16 European countries of the ICOS network support the efforts of the European Union towards climate neutrality by 2050 and inform the climate mitigation actions designed to achieve this ambitious goal.