Opportunities for an African greenhouse gas observation system

0547430 - ÚVGZ 2022 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Merbold, L. - Scholes, R. - Acosta, Manuel - Beck, J. - Bombelli, A. - Fiedler, B. - Grieco, E. - Helmschrot, J. - Hugo, W. - Kasurinen, V. - Kim, D. G. - Kortzinger, A. - Leitner, S. - Lopez-Ballesteros, A. - Ndisi, M. - Nickless, A. - Salmon, E. - Saunders, M. - Skjelvan, I. - Vermeulen, A. T. - Kutsch, W. L.
Opportunities for an African greenhouse gas observation system.
Regional Environmental Change. Roč. 21, č. 4 (2021). ISSN 1436-3798. E-ISSN 1436-378X
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) LM2018123
Research Infrastructure: CzeCOS III - 90123
Institutional support: RVO:86652079
Keywords : enteric methane emissions * land-use * carbon * livestock * fluxes * cattle * n2o * region * budget * build * Climate * Carbon dioxide * Methane * Nitrous oxide * Environmental research infrastructure
OECD category: Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)
Impact factor: 4.704, year: 2021
Method of publishing: Open access
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10113-021-01823-w

Global population projections foresee the biggest increase to occur in Africa with most of the available uncultivated land to ensure food security remaining on the continent. Simultaneously, greenhouse gas emissions are expected to rise due to ongoing land use change, industrialisation, and transport amongst other reasons with Africa becoming a major emitter of greenhouse gases globally. However, distinct knowledge on greenhouse gas emissions sources and sinks as well as their variability remains largely unknown caused by its vast size and diversity and an according lack of observations across the continent. Thus, an environmental research infrastructure-as being setup in other regions-is more needed than ever. Here, we present the results of a design study that developed a blueprint for establishing such an environmental research infrastructure in Africa. The blueprint comprises an inventory of already existing observations, the spatial disaggregation of locations that will enable to reduce the uncertainty in climate forcing's in Africa and globally as well as an overall estimated cost for such an endeavour of about 550 Meuro over the next 30 years. We further highlight the importance of the development of an e-infrastructure, the necessity for capacity development and the inclusion of all stakeholders to ensure African ownership.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0323663