Update from CEOS Carbon
Task Force
Masakatsu Nakajima (JAXA) and
Diane E. Wickland (NASA)
CEOS SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton , Virginia, USA
March 14, 2013
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
CEOS Response to the GEO Carbon
Strategy
CEOS established the Carbon Task Force
(CTF) to coordinate the response from
space agencies to the GEO Carbon
Strategy:
CEOS Strategy for Carbon Observations
from Space
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
Outline for Progress Report
• CTF Activities and Milestones achieved since SIT-27
• Report from Side Meeting at SIT-28, March 11, 2013
• Plans for completion of report: CEOS Strategy for
Carbon Observations from Space
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
•
•
•
•
•
•
Key Milestones Since CEOS SIT-27
CTF plans for the CEOS Carbon Strategy report were discussed at the CEOS
Atmospheric Composition Constellation (ACC-8) meeting on 19 April 2012
in Columbia, Maryland. ACC agreed to review the final draft report.
Global Carbon Project (GCP) was apprised at their April 2012 Marrakech
meeting of our plans and agreed to provide review of the final draft report.
Continuing interactions with the GEO Carbon Community of Practice on
progress and their review of the final draft report.
In May 2012 Stephen Ward sent a message requesting inputs from CEOS
members regarding the approach to recommendations for the CEOS
Carbon Strategy. (no inputs received)
The Land chapter author team met on the side at the IGARSS meeting in
Munich on 26 July 2012 and agreed upon refined core measurements and
new writing assignments.
In August the CTF executive team and chapter leads noted they were behind
schedule and agreed that an approximately 3-month delay in the delivery of
the final report was unavoidable and should be communicated to CEOS
leadership (this was noted in the 29 August update to the CEOS action CL02-C1_2 and at the CEOS Plenary in October 2012)
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
•
•
•
•
Key Milestones Since CEOS SIT-27
Writing meetings were held in mid-October 2012 in conjunction with the ESA
GlobBiomass workshop in Jena, Germany (Land team) and MERIS/AATSR &
Sentinel-3 meeting in Frascati, Italy (Ocean team)
October 2012 decision between Ocean and Land chapter leads to include
inland freshwater and coastal waters in the Ocean chapter, with
appropriate cross-referencing, and addition of a new co-author to the
Ocean chapter
A side meeting of report lead authors and CTF executive was held at the
Fall AGU in San Francisco in December 2012. The Atmosphere chapter was
further reviewed, issues for integration were identified, and the proposed
reorganization of the Land chapter was agreed upon.
The Land chapter was substantially reorganized in November/December
2012:
•
•
•
•
Ralph Dubayah was added as co-Lead
Co-author team was expanded to add needed expertise and people with
dedicated time (complete list of authors in backup)
Chapter structure was significantly revised and agreed to by co-authors
New writing assignments were established and completed in January/February
2013
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
•
•
•
•
•
Current Status of Report
Atmosphere chapter completed in February 2013; some minor editing (e.g.,
references, formatting) in process
Ocean and Inland Waters chapter completed in February 2013; some minor
editing (e.g., co-author proofing, references, formatting) in process
A complete draft of the Integration chapter was circulated to all co-authors
and the CTF executive team in February 2013 and is in revision
Complete draft of revised Land chapter circulated to all co-authors and CTF
executive team on March 5, 2013
The Introduction and Way Forward chapters are being drafted (completion
had to await delivery of Land chapter draft)
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
CTF Side Meeting at SIT-28: 11 March 2013
CTF leaders (4 people) met with SIT-28 participants (6 people in person, no one
called in) from 9-10 am on 11 March 2013
CTF leaders requested review of the major actions / recommendations to be
included in the report, seeking CEOS SIT participant inputs regarding
reasonableness of recommended action, responsible parties for actions,
any “missing” actions, and/or concerns about actions
In the hour available before SIT-28 participants had to move to other side
meetings, CTF received inputs on the Land chapter’s actions regarding:
•
•
•
•
•
Sharpening and/or clarifying certain action statements
Questions as to why certain measurements were emphasized over others (e.g.,
wetlands versus permafrost)
How to better pose action statements, given CEOS’s role
Sorting actions into types (as the Ocean & Inland Waters chapter did – i.e.,
missions, data processing/products, etc.)
Focusing on measurements, not missions in the guidance (as appropriate,
particular missions can be called out as examples)
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
CTF Side Meeting at SIT-28: 11 March 2013
CTF also presented its plans for completion of the report (same information as
presented in this briefing) and requested feedback
The following inputs were received:
•
•
•
There was a request to provide advance notice ( at least 2 weeks) to CEOS
leadership prior to releasing the report for review so that they can notify CEOS
members to plan for a timely review of the document
There was a question about the status and value of the gap analysis for each
chapter and this was discussed (there is still an open issue of whether the land
chapter needs a new gap analysis to support its findings)
There was a question as to whether the new inventory for ECVs has been
consulted/included in the report (CTF leaders noted that the original ECV
requirements have been consulted, but would have to check with the chapter
leads regarding the new inventory)
After everyone else left at 10 am, the CTF leaders continued the discussion and
went through all of the other actions / recommendations in the report
Despite its reduced duration, this side meeting was very productive and
helpful!
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
•
•
•
•
•
Plans for completion of report
Finish integrating report in March 2013.
Conduct internal CEOS Review – ask all CTF members to review carefully
and to help ensure Space Agency representation and perspectives are
adequately incorporated into each chapter and ensure appropriate
people in their agencies review the final draft. [Side meeting on 11 March a
first step; one or more full CTF teleconference calls will follow]
 We request your (CEOS SIT representatives) help as well!
Will then request review of final draft by CEOS, Global Carbon Project
leadership, GEO Carbon Community of Practice, and the authors of the
GEO Carbon Strategy.
Will revise report as needed in response to reviews in April-June 2013.
Anticipate delivery / release by end of August 2013.
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
Continuing Challenges / Issues
 It has been difficult to stay on schedule and coordinate this activity
with only best effort, volunteer work. Resources for travel and meeting
logistics have been very hard to secure. Taking advantage of ad hoc
meetings has been helpful, but inadequate.
 Repeated delays due to the failure of the Land chapter to mature
on schedule are now behind us.
 The major challenges ahead are now:
 completing the integration of the full report
 securing timely reviews from CEOS member organizations and the
broader carbon community
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
From CEOS-GEO Action Workshop
At the CEOS-GEO Action Workshop telecon on 23-24 January 2013,
the following question and suggestion were made:
 Would the CTF have a new action for 2013 after the completion its
Strategy report?
Answer: No. The CTF plans to spread the word about the new Strategy
(e.g., at the GEO Carbon meetings in October 2013), but we do not
believe such activities require a formal CEOS-GEO action. Actions for
2014 and later should be subject to decisions on the implementation of
the strategy (next slide).
 It was suggested to conduct two mapping exercises after
completion the Strategy document
1) map current CEOS activities (VC, WG, etc.) to the Strategy
2) compare the GCOS Implementation Plan and the Strategy
to check the consistency of each requirement
Response: These are excellent suggestions. To a great extent, these
comparisons have already been made in developing the Strategy. However,
checking back over the final report shall be done.
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
Thoughts on Implementing the Strategy
After the CEOS Strategy for Carbon Observations from Space has been
completed and released in final form, CEOS will need to consider how
to implement the strategy and report its progress
 What CEOS entity or entities should be responsible for coordinating
implementation of the recommendations/actions and monitoring
progress on them?
 Does the CTF or some variation on this group need to continue?
 Should another Working Group do it? Should the actions be divided up and
assigned to relevant Working Groups and Virtual Constellations?
 Does CEOS need one or more new Virtual Constellations (e.g., GHG)
 How should CEOS interact with GEOSS and UNFCCC in implementing
and reporting on the report’s recommendations/actions?
 Carbon supplement to our biennial GCOS IP response to UNFCCC?
 Updated in synchrony with GCOS IP response?
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
Backup Materials
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
Rationale
• CEOS established the Carbon Task Force (CTF)
to coordinate the response from space
agencies to the GEO Carbon Strategy.
• Take into account information requirements of
both the UNFCCC and IPCC and consider how
future satellite missions will support them
• Also take account of, and be consistent with, the
GCOS and GEO Implementation Plans.
• Help definition of next generation missions for
individual agencies
• Provide a basis for systematic observation
and reporting of progress towards satisfying
society’s carbon information needs
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
CEOS Response to the GEO Carbon
Strategy: Approach to Report
 Carbon Task Force co-leads (JAXA & NASA) take overall responsibility.
 Domain leads have been identified by CTF to develop the atmospheric,
terrestrial (land) and oceanic chapters:
 Atmosphere: Prof Berrien Moore (Univ. Oklahoma, USA)
 Land: Prof Christiane Schmullius (Univ. Jena, Germany) and Dr. Ralph
Dubayah (Univ. Maryland)
 Ocean and Inland Waters: Dr Shubha Sathyendranath (Plymouth Marine
Laboratory, UK)
 And the Integration chapter:
 Integration: Dr. Stephen Plummer (European Space Agency)
 Domain leads supported by co-authors from the international EO
scientific community based on recommendations made by CTF
members as well as from the domain leads.
 Follows the model of the CEOS Response to the GCOS Implementation
Plan with actions identified for each domain and for integration as the
basis for monitoring and reporting.
 Recognised that the GEO Carbon Strategy Report may not cover the full
spectrum of societal needs and CEOS should aim to address this.
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
Outline and Leads for CTF Report
CEOS Strategy for Carbon Observations from
Space
Executive Summary (Nakajima, Wickland, Plummer)
Section 1: Introduction (Nakajima, Wickland, and Ward)
Section 2: Land Domain (Schmullius and Dubayah)
Section 3: Ocean and Inland Waters Domain
(Sathyendranath)
Section 4: Atmosphere Domain (Moore)
Section 5: Integration (Plummer)
Section 6: The Way Forward (Wickland, Nakajima, Plummer)
Appendices
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
Domain Chapter Authors
Atmosphere:
Berrien Moore (University of Oklahoma)
John Burrows (Universität Bremen)
David Crisp (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Michio Kawamiya (Japan Agency for Marine-earth Science and Technology)
Martin Heimann (Max Plank Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena)
Ray Nasser (Environment Canada)
Peter Rayner (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de L'Environnement)
Ocean and Inland Waters:
Shubha Sathyendranath (Plymouth Marine Lab)
Prakash Chauhan (Indian Space Research Organization)
Watson Gregg (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
Nicolas Hoepffner (Joint Research Centre)
Joji Ishizaka (Nagoya University)
Johnny Johannessen (Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Centre)
Milton Kampel (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais)
Tiit Kutser (University of Tartu)
Trevor Platt (Bedford Institute of Oceanography)
J-H Ryu (Korea Ocean Satellite Center)
SIT-28 Meeting
Hampton, Virginia, USA
11-15 March 2013
Domain Chapter Authors
Land:
Chris Schmullius (Friedrich-Schiller University Jena)
Ralph Dubayah (University of Maryland)
Warren Cohen (USDA Forest Service)
Eric Kasischke (University of Maryland)
Kyle McDonald (City College of New York)
Shaun Quegan (The University of Sheffield)
Jean Ometto (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais)
Stephen Plummer (European Space Agency)
Steven Running (University of Montana)
Sassan Saatchi (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Masanobu Shimada (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)