Climate change mitigation relies on access to high-quality information on greenhouse gas emissions and sinks. This information is produced through a combination of local, national and continental observing programmes that form interconnected value chains, linking observations with data synthesis, analysis and reporting.
These programmes support major international initiatives, such as the Global Carbon Project, which produces annual assessments of the global carbon cycle, and WMO’s Global Greenhouse Gas Watch, which aims to improve the information available for climate-related decision-making. However, the value chains supporting these initiatives are fragile and, in some cases, declining in quality.
The JOHN project aims to improve the quality, efficiency and long-term sustainability of greenhouse gas observing systems and the information they provide. To achieve this, the project will:
- Assess the current observing system through a comprehensive audit, including existing observations, governance and funding arrangements, and barriers to effective operation.
- Explore emerging and underused technologies and assess how they could improve observing systems and reduce their operating costs.
- Improve existing data systems to make greenhouse gas information more accessible, interoperable, reliable and efficient.
- Develop action plans and roadmaps to support the long-term transformation of observing systems, including sustainable governance and funding arrangements.
Through these activities, JOHN aims to contribute to a more resilient, cost-effective and sustainable greenhouse gas observing system that meets the needs of science and climate policy.