Joint Operations for Monitoring Anthropogenic and Natural GHG Emissions and Sinks (JOHN) addresses weaknesses in the observation systems underpinning our understanding of greenhouse gas sources and sinks. These systems feed into assessments such as the Global Carbon Budget, but depend on complex networks with vulnerable funding and data flows.
Coordinated by NORCE, JOHN will examine how these networks are organised and financed, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop roadmaps for future investment. The project supports the Global Carbon Project and the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Greenhouse Gas Watch.
JOHN aims to:
Assess the greenhouse gas observing system, including its governance and funding, and establish a basis for annual reporting.
Identify emerging technologies that could improve monitoring and reduce costs.
Improve the flow, quality and accessibility of data linking observations to analysis and reporting.
Develop action plans for sustained improvements, aligned with funding opportunities.
JPI Oceans leads the development of a methodology for regular audits of the observing system, building on work initiated through its Knowledge Hub on Ocean Carbon Capacities. The methodology will use metrics to assess the performance and resilience of the chain connecting observations to usable information, extending the approach developed for the ocean to the land and atmosphere.
The ambition is to enable annual reporting alongside the Global Carbon Budget, making weaknesses and investment needs more visible. JPI Oceans also contributes to stakeholder engagement, helping connect the project findings and recommendations with policymakers and national funding agencies to support their uptake and future investment.
Learn more about the Knowledge Hub on Ocean Carbon Capacities
Climate decisions depend on reliable information about greenhouse gas emissions and the uptake of carbon by the ocean and land. Gaps in observations, unstable funding and delays in data delivery can weaken this evidence. By addressing these weaknesses, JOHN aims to strengthen the information available for climate policy and guide investment in sustained observations.