CarboCount CH - Quantifying greenhouse gas fluxes and their sensitivity to climate variations: A case study in Central Europe and Switzerland

CarboCount CH is a collaborative project with 6 partners from Empa, ETH, University of Bern and the Centre for Climate Systems Modeling funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

CarboCount CH investigates human-related emissions and natural exchange between atmosphere and biosphere of the two most important long-lived greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) in Europe and especially in Switzerland. CO₂, which is emitted in vast amounts through the burning of fossil fuels, is partially absorbed by oceans and partially by the biosphere which uses CO₂ for the production of organic material through photosynthesis. Atmospheric CO₂ is therefore increasing at only about half the pace it would if all emitted CO₂ remained in the atmosphere. It is highly uncertain, however, how the storage capacity of oceans and biosphere will evolve in the future under changing climatic conditions. CH₄ is emitted from a variety of anthropogenic and natural sources and predictions of future CH₄ levels are similarly uncertain as those for CO₂.

The project CarboCount CH will improve our understanding of biosphere-atmosphere exchange processes in a regional environment typical of the northern mid-latitudes. In addition, it will provide quantitative estimates of CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes in Switzerland through a unique combination of observations and models. These estimates will provide invaluable input to Swiss policy makers in the context of climate change, notably the Kyoto Protocol and ongoing post-Kyoto negotiations.

For latest news you may also consult our CarboCount CH projekt wiki.