External Resources
The following resources cover ESA-funded projects and open tools relevant to users working with Earth Observation
for carbon stock estimation, greenhouse gas flux monitoring, and reporting under international frameworks such as
the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
ESA-Funded Projects & Tools
Blue carbon
ESA Coastal Blue Carbon
Develops EO-based products, indicators and methods for monitoring, conservation and restoration of the three
main coastal blue carbon ecosystems — seagrass meadows, salt marshes and mangroves. Delivers 10 m resolution
maps of blue carbon ecosystem extent and estimates of carbon stock changes across three time periods between
2015 and present, using Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and CNES very high resolution imagery. Directly supports
national carbon inventories and Nationally Determined Contributions.
Forest carbon
ESA Forest Carbon Monitoring (FCM)
A toolset for satellite-based forest biomass and carbon stock monitoring using Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and
auxiliary data, deployed on the Forestry TEP cloud platform. Supports compliance reporting (LULUCF, REDD+) and
voluntary carbon markets with demonstrated use cases across Europe, Colombia and Norway. The project recently
completed; tools remain accessible via the Forestry TEP platform.
Biomass dataset
ESA CCI Biomass
The most comprehensive open-access global dataset of above-ground forest biomass, produced through ESA's
Climate Change Initiative. Version 6 covers 2007–2022 at 100 m resolution, with annual maps, change products
between consecutive years, and coarser aggregations (1–50 km). Derived from Sentinel-1, ALOS PALSAR, Envisat,
ICESat and GEDI data. Directly supports national GHG inventories, Paris Agreement Global Stocktake reporting,
and carbon cycle modelling.
GHG inventories
ESA RECCAP-2
Integrates ESA CCI satellite data records into atmospheric inversion models to generate improved regional
carbon stock and GHG flux estimates (CO₂ and CH₄) for Europe, Siberia, the Amazon and the Arctic. Provides a
framework to compare and reconcile top-down satellite-based flux estimates with bottom-up national GHG
inventories, supporting independent verification under the UNFCCC Paris Agreement Global Stocktake.
Coordinated with the Global Carbon Project.
Atmospheric GHG Monitoring Services
CO₂ & CH₄ monitoring
Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)
The EU's operational service for atmospheric composition monitoring, providing open, free data on CO₂ and CH₄
natural fluxes and anthropogenic emissions globally. Key products include inversion-optimised GHG surface
fluxes, a real-time Methane Hotspot Explorer (powered by Sentinel-5P / TROPOMI data) that maps individual
methane emission plumes from industrial leaks, and reanalysis datasets dating back decades. Fully open via the
Atmosphere Data Store.
Carbon Data & Reference Platforms
Carbon budget data
Global Carbon Project — Global Carbon Atlas
The authoritative annual global carbon budget, synthesising fossil CO₂ emissions, land-use change emissions,
and ocean and land carbon sinks from over 100 research institutes. All data are freely downloadable. The
companion Global Carbon Atlas provides interactive maps and time-series visualisation of CO₂ and CH₄ budgets
at global, regional and national scales — a standard reference for climate policy, reporting and research.
Forest monitoring
Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI)
A multi-agency initiative (including ESA, NASA, JAXA and FAO) coordinating satellite data and methods for
national forest monitoring, specifically to support REDD+ measurement, reporting and verification (MRV). The
GFOI Methods and Guidance Document is the international reference for integrating EO data into forest carbon
accounting. The REDDcompass platform provides country-facing tools, guidance and datasets for forest carbon
MRV.
