New information on European emissions in ESSD

1 May 2020

Earth System Science Data (ESSD) announces the publication of a new study evaluating greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, forestry, and other land-use activities across Europe. More than 20 researchers from prominent research institutions in seven European countries compiled, quantified, and assessed more than 25 years of measurements and national reports. In sharing this new information, they call attention to the large uncertainties remaining in land-use activities – particularly in agriculture and forestry – and in land-derived emissions. As the EU develops policies and procedures to limit its greenhouse gases, in particular emissions, these uncertainties in land sources will prove challenging. Based on this careful initial evaluation, these researchers intend to compile and share regular annual updates. Through the open data policies of ESSD, readers and users have full and free access to the complete accurate emissions information.

The press release from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam can be found at: https://science.vu.nl/en/

Petrescu, A. M. R., Peters, G. P., Janssens-Maenhout, G., Ciais, P., Tubiello, F. N., Grassi, G., Nabuurs, G.-J., Leip, A., Carmona-Garcia, G., Winiwarter, W., Höglund-Isaksson, L., Günther, D., Solazzo, E., Kiesow, A., Bastos, A., Pongratz, J., Nabel, J. E. M. S., Conchedda, G., Pilli, R., Andrew, R. M., Schelhaas, M.-J., and Dolman, A. J.: European anthropogenic AFOLU greenhouse gas emissions: a review and benchmark data, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 961–1001, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-961-2020, 2020.

Photo credits: A. M. R. Petrescu