UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (GB)
There is a need for comprehensive, accurate, and low-latency information on land carbon fluxes to be underpinned by high resolution remote-sensing datastreams. A key policy-relevant challenge for the scientific community is the lack of a rapid quantification of carbon losses from recent mega droughts or fires despite numerous observations being available. The Near-Real-Time (NRT) Carbon Extremes project will address this major challenge, with the following objectives:
A key policy-relevant challenge for the scientific community is the lack of a rapid quantification of carbon losses from recent mega droughts or fires despite numerous observations being available. The NRT Carbon Extremes project will address this major challenge, with the following objectives:
To address these objectives, we will implement a near-real-time (NRT) carbon monitoring system for the terrestrial biosphere. For the first time the community will exploit ECVs and Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) in NRT instead of with a lag of 2-3 years. We will apply 3 global DGVMs with NRT climate forcing data (ERA5), and combine their results with EO-derived products to attribute the net carbon flux to underlying processes (i.e. changes fluxes: primary production, respiration and fire; and carbon stocks).
Reduced vegetation uptake during the extreme 2023 drought turns the Amazon into a weak carbon source
AGU Advances (2026)
Influence of simulated vs. satellite-based burned areas on modelled terrestrial carbon fluxes
Carbon Balance and Management (2026)
Low latency global carbon budget indicates reduced land carbon sink in the year 2024
National Science Review (2026)
Global Biogeochemical Cycles (2024)
Temperature extremes of 2022 reduced carbon uptake by forests in Europe
Nat Commun (2023)
