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Carbon Digest #12: AGU, Carbon Budget, Methane, CDR, Interagency GHG, Leadership Award, Wetland Carbon, COP26
December 7, 2021
December 2021
Greetings! As you will see from this Carbon Digest, we have been working on several opportunities to engage with, support and spotlight our science community and partners. We appreciate your continued input, interest and participation in our activities. Wishing you the best of health,
Gyami Shrestha, Ph.D., Director, U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program Office/USGCRP, Washington, D.C. (Ancestral lands of the Anacostans, Piscataway, Pamunkey, Nentego, Mattaponi, Chickahominy, Monacan, Powhatan peoples)
In this Carbon Digest
Who we are
In Memoriam: Brad Reed
Meet us at AGU: Next Decade, CDR and U.S. Interagency Carbon Information, Monitoring, and Decisions System
U.S. Carbon Program Leadership Award
Interagency GHG Briefing at NASEM Committee on Earth Sciences and Applications from Space
Draft IG3IS Urban GHG Emissions Observation and Monitoring
New Book on Wetland Carbon
COP26 events highlights and Global Carbon Budget 2021
White House Methane Reduction Action Plan
International Carbon Symposium in México
New EPA Methane Rule Comment Period
NASEM Ocean CDR Research Strategy Report
NCA5 Public Engagement, USGCRP NASEM Listening Sessions
NASA Carbon Monitoring System Annual Meeting
Community Climate Intervention Strategies Webinar Series and Workshop Report
USAID’s Draft 2022–2030 Climate Strategy
A Global Surface Ocean CO2 Monitoring Strategy and Ocean Carbon From Space Workshop
Funding and opportunities
Who are we?
TheCarbon Cycle Interagency Working Group (CCIWG) established the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program in 1999. Our mission is, to coordinate and facilitate federally funded carbon cycle research, and provide leadership to the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) on carbon cycle science priorities. Representing 14 federal agencies, we fund and coordinate carbon research across terrestrial, atmospheric, oceanic and societal systems and interfaces. Our work supports the vision and efforts of the USGCRP, pursuant to the 1990 U.S. Global Change Research Act, to develop and coordinate a comprehensive and integrated United States research program which will assist the Nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes of global change.
In Memoriam
Our colleague, CCIWG member Brad Reed from USGS, passed away suddenly in October. Brad co-led the USGS Biological Carbon Assessment with former co-chair of the CCIWG, Zhiliang Zhu and had just assumed a role as a Federal Coordinating Lead of the Land Cover and Land Use Change Chapter of USGCRP’s Fifth National Climate Assessment prior to his passing. We extend hearfelft condolences to his family and loved ones.
News and upcoming activities
Thursday, 9 December 2021, 12:15 - 13:15 EST or 11:15:00 AM - 12:15:00 PM CST, Online Only
The U.S. government (USG) earth science enterprise funds a broad range of carbon research and monitoring activities. The need for evidence-based applications and decision-support use of such research are expanding rapidly. For instance, satellite-based sensors, in-situ and measurements have made it possible to obtain carbon cycle relevant information with wide range of spatiotemporal resolutions from global to local scales and up to real-time accuracy to assess climate change impacts and to estimate carbon mitigation and removal potential as well as ecosystem resilience at various scales. The USG-funded development of data modeling tools including process models of natural and anthropogenic carbon fluxes, data assimilation and flux inversion models and coupled carbon cycle climate models is important in complementing and supplementing this observations-based knowledge. The urgency to enhance the integration of such activities to provide time-sensitive scientific insights for diverse stakeholders and policy makers and to inform local to global decision-making processes and the implementation of global stocktake activities related to the Paris Agreement, for instance. This town hall will discuss ideas for addressing such coordination. The panelists and audience will explore questions such as, ‘What would an Interagency Carbon Information System look like? What is its utility and how could it be sustained?’
Wednesday, 15 December 2021, 19:15 - 20:15 EST, Convention Center - Room 353-355
The U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program (USCSSP) facilitates carbon cycle research and provides national leadership on carbon cycle science priorities. Established in the early 2000s, the North American Carbon Program (NACP) and Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) Program are major USCCSP community building activities that foster innovation and cultivate new research areas. NACP is an interdisciplinary community of practice comprising carbon cycle science researchers studying the North American carbon cycle in a global context. OCB is a network of scientists working across disciplines to understand the ocean's role in the global carbon cycle and the response of marine ecosystems to environmental change. Together, these programs support grassroots activities, collaboration, and synthesis to inform high-level scientific planning such as the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan (1999, 2011). In this open forum, USCCSP, NACP, OCB, and Carbon Cycle Interagency Working Group (CCIWG) representatives will discuss current and future research and assessment initiatives and seek audience feedback on the next decadal US Carbon Cycle Science Plan, the interagency Carbon Dioxide Removal Database, and future programmatic directions, including collaborative opportunities at the land-ocean interface. The CCIWG will also discuss pertinent U.S. research funding programs, observation networks, and coordination capabilities, including interagency and international opportunities.
A plethora of abstracts and sessions showcasing U.S. and global progress in carbon cycle science are part of this year’s AGU Annual Meeting schedule.
TheU.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program, in collaboration with theNorth American Carbon Program (NACP), is pleased to announce the first U.S. Carbon Program Leadership Award in support of the North American carbon cycle community’s engagement, communication and collaboration opportunities. This award activity is aimed at advancing our broader diversity, equity, inclusivity, accessibility and justice goals which are essential for fulfilling our national and global science priorities and mandates in support of the 1990 Global Change Research Act to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes of global change. This activity also aims to support our mission to coordinate and facilitate federally funded carbon cycle research, and provide leadership to the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) on carbon cycle science priorities.
The draft 'IG3IS Urban Greenhouse Gas Emissions Observation and Monitoring Best Research Practices' document is now available online for public review and input. Comments and reviews should be submitted to gaw@wmo.int on or before January 31st, 2022. Include “IG3IS Urban Guidelines Submission” in the subject line. A final version will be published in May 2022. For more details, follow this link.
NASEM A Research Strategy for Ocean CDR and Sequestration Report Release
The Committee on A Research Strategy for Ocean Carbon Dioxide Removal and Sequestration will be releasing their report entitled A Research Strategy for Ocean Carbon Dioxide Removal and Sequestration on December 8, 2021, at 11:00 AM ET. A public report release webinar will also be held from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET on December 8, 2021. The report provides a path forward for research and development needed to assess the viability of promising ocean-based CDR approaches.
NCA5 public engagement Workshops
In January and February of 2022, USGCRP and National Climate Assessment authors will host a series of workshops to solicit feedback on climate change-related issues that are important to the public. This information will help the authors determine which topics to cover in their chapters of the Fifth National Climate Assessment. We hope you will consider attending one or more of these workshops, and encourage you to share this information with your networks.
USGCRP NASEM Listening Sessions
The Committee to Advise USGCRP at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is pleased to announce an upcoming opportunity to provide input to USGCRP.
At these public sessions, participants will be able to learn about USGCRP, comment on how global change information is used or could be more useful in their sector, and suggest forms of future long-term engagement with USGCRP. No previous knowledge of USGCRP is expected for participants. NASEM is seeking to connect with personally and professionally diverse groups at these sessions, in particular users and researchers who produce and/or use global change information who USGCRP may not have interacted with before. This can include individuals from boundary organizations, government, professional societies, academia, industry, nonprofits, and more.
Past sessions
November 9 USGCRP Pilot Listening Session - Water
November 15 USGCRP Pilot Listening Session - Health
November 18 USGCRP Pilot Listening Session - Energy
Upcoming sessions
December 6 | 3:30-5:00 PM ET USGCRP Pilot Listening Session - Food
December 8 | 5-6:30 PM ET USGCRP Pilot Listening Session - Transportation/Infrastructure
Interagency Operational Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Information and Analysis System Work Stream at NASEM SESAS meeting
- Ben Poulter, NASA
Over the past year, climate extremes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and increased global efforts to support the Paris Agreement have shown the need for integrated observations of greenhouse gases. Within the United States, activities such as the Carbon Cycle Science Program and the North American Carbon Program have established numerous ground, air, and space-based monitoring networks to measure greenhouse gas fluxes and atmospheric concentrations, but these remain fragmented and reliant on short-term funding. At the 2021 fall Meeting of the National Academies of Science Committee on Earth Sciences and Applications from Space (CESAS), a discussion on the need for an operational and sustained greenhouse gas observatory was led by Arlyn Andrews (NOAA), Lori Bruhwiler (NOAA) and Ben Poulter (NASA), with an emphasis on inter-agency coordination. Details can be found here. Points of Contact: Dr. Ben Poulter, Dr. Lori Bruhiweiller, Dr. Arlyn Andrews and Dr. Gyami Shrestha.
New Book: Wetland Carbon and Environmental Management
How can the management of wetlands influence carbon stocks and fluxes? You will find some comprehensive answers in this book that was just published by the American Geophysical Union. Former co-chair of the CCIWG, Dr. Zhiliang Zhu (USGS) co-led this publication, with colleagues from the carbon cycle science community.
EPA's Proposal to Reduce Methane and Other Harmful Emissions from the Oil and Natural Gas Industry - Comment Period
The proposal would expand and strengthen emissions reduction requirements that are currently on the books for new, modified and reconstructed oil and natural gas sources, and would require states to reduce methane emissions from hundreds of thousands of existing sources nationwide for the first time. EPA will accept comments on the proposal in writing until January 14, 2022. Comments the Agency receives in writing receive the same consideration as comments received at the public hearing. Instructions for submitting written comments are available at https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-11/epas-2021-oil-and-gas-proposal.-how-to-comment.pdf. Details and helpful resources: https://www.epa.gov/controlling-air-pollution-oil-and-natural-gas-industry/epa-proposes-new-source-performance
26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26)
The United Kingdom hosted the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, United Kingdom, from November 1 to November 13, 2021. Recordings of U.S. Government events, including many related U.S. Carbon Program agencies' activities, can be accessed here. Major announcements from the US Government can be accessed here. Recordings by daily themes, including White House conversations can be accessed here. During this global event, the United States committed to addressing the climate crisis by mobilizing a whole-of-government approach, scaling up action at home and abroad to put the world on a path to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
NewU.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan
During COP26, the White House announced an ambitious, whole-of-government initiative that uses all available tools – commonsense regulations, catalytic financial incentives, transparency and disclosure of actionable data, and public and private partnerships – to identify and cost-effectively reduce methane emissions from all major sources. See related information shared via Fact Sheet: President Biden Tackles Methane Emissions, Spurs Innovations, and Supports Sustainable Agriculture to Build a Clean Energy Economy and Create Jobs.
Global Carbon Budget 2021 Released
The Global Carbon Project is an international partner of the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program. Multiple U.S. based scientists funded by CCIWG agencies participate in the formulation of the annual Global Carbon Budgets. For this 2021 budget, the following U.S. contributors were involved: Rob B. Jackson, Simone R. Alin, Louise P. Chini, Richard A. Feely, Dennis Gilfillan, Richard A. Houghton, George C. Hurtt, Daniel Kennedy, Junjie Liu, Gregg Marland, David R. Munro, Denis Pierrot, Benjamin Poulter, Laure Resplandy, Adrienne J. Sutton, Colm Sweeney, Pieter P. Tans, Hanqin Tian and Rik Wanninkhof. See the full list of contributors and affiliationshere. The Global Carbon Budget 2021analyses are based on established methodologies but not yet peer-reviewed. Data and methods are detailed in the publications listed below: Friedlingstein et al. ESSD paper: https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2021-386. Jackson et al. ERL pre-print paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2111.02222
Community Climate Interventions Strategies Webinar Series and 2020 Workshop Report‘Developing a Framework for an Interdisciplinary and International Climate Intervention Strategies Research Program
We participated in the 2021 Community Climate Intervention Strategies (CCIS) Workshop that concluded last month. The main goals of the CCIS Webinar Series are, (i) Conceptualization of a research framework for assessing proposed climate intervention strategies (ii) Establish shared understanding of ongoing research of climate intervention strategies in different research communities and main challenges, (iii) Reach a perspectival integration for completeness of knowledge/understanding, (iv) Identify elements of a research program, identify existing and new working groups of such a program. The 2022 series included the following topics: NAS Report: Governance & Social Aspects, Scenario Planning, Ecological and/or Regional Impacts, Implementation and Engineering: CDR, Implementation and Engineering: SRM, Communication, Education and Outreach, Project Lightning Talks and Networking Session. An early online release of the 2020 CCIS workshop report, ‘Developing a Framework for an Interdisciplinary and International Climate Intervention Strategies Research Program’ has just been published by the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
NASA Carbon Monitoring System Meeting
We participated in the November 2021 NASA Carbon Monitoring System meeting, an annual Science Team Meeting for funded PIs and stakeholders. A panel deliberating current scientific needs and historical programmatic visions for an interagency carbon monitoring system was convened on the last day of the meeting. It was moderated by NACP Coordinator Libby Larson, with panelists Gyami Shrestha from the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program at the USGCRP/UCAR, Chris Williams from Clark University (NACP Science Leadership Group co-chair), Ben Poulter from NASA GSFC, Arlyn Andrews from NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory and Grant Domke from USDA Forest Service.
XII International Carbon Symposium in México
The XII International Carbon Symposium in Méxicowas completed in October 2021. We had the pleasure of brainstorming ideas with the participants and our colleagues from Programa Mexicano del Carbono (PMC) during a special session entitled, 'NACP-PMC: Where we are and where we want to go'.
USAID’s Draft 2022–2030 Climate Strategy
USAID’s draft 2022–2030 Climate Strategy was released for public review and feedback in November 2021. Background fromUSAID: On Earth Day 2021, USAID announced its commitment to developing a new Agency climate strategy, which will guide the Agency’s efforts to target climate change resources strategically, ramp up climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, and further integrate climate change considerations into international development and humanitarian assistance programs across all sectors. The strategy will advance U.S. government objectives to adapt to and lessen the effects of global climate change and support USAID’s implementation of President Biden’s recent Executive Orders on the climate crisis EO 13990 - Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis, EO 14008 - Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and EO 14013 - Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration).
Ocean Carbon From Space Workshop, 14-18 February 2022, virtual
Organized by the European Space Agency (ESA) and PML with support from NASA, this workshop is the second workshop in the CLEO (Colour and Light in the ocean from Earth Observations) Series and is a contribution to the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Work Plan on the Aquatic Carbon Application area, as endorsed by the CEOS Ocean Colour Radiometry Virtual Constellation (OCR-VC) founded within the International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group (IOCCG).
A Global Surface Ocean CO2 Monitoring Strategy
On November 25, 2021, the EU Office of the G7 FSOI Coordination Centre and IOCCP hosted a 1-day joint workshop to launch the activity "A Global Surface Ocean CO2 Monitoring Strategy". Endorsed by the G7 Future of the Seas and Oceans Initiative at its working group meeting completed in October 2021. This activity will be conducted for 2 years. The goal is to develop an internationally-agreed strategy and implementation plan for a global network that can be used by governments for coordinated investment actions.
DOD SERDP FY 2023 SERDP Solicitations
The Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) is seeking environmental research and development proposals for funding beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. Projects will be selected through a competitive process. Details are available on the SERDP website underFunding Opportunities.
Some recent publications that we are reading...
Strong Southern Ocean carbon uptake evident in airborne observations
Societal shifts due to COVID-19 reveal large-scale complexities and feedbacks between atmospheric chemistry and climate change
Effects of land dispossession and forced migration on Indigenous peoples in North America
Funding Announcements and Opportunities
via NACP
via OCB
More from our colleagues at US CLIVAR: Meetings | Funding | Student and Early Career Scientist Opportunities | Jobs
If you would like to submit items for future Carbon Digests, please email us a short blurb. Please see prior Carbon Digests for examples of external submissions pertinent to the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program. For instance, we are interested in blurbs or summaries of activities (publications, workshops, research campaigns, networks, information systems, databases etc.) supported, facilitated or co-produced by our Program/the Carbon Cycle Interagency Working Group, and in how you are using our high-level products, such as the Second State of the Carbon Cycle Report in your research, communications, education, policy-informing, policy-making/decision-making and related activities.
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