GEO Forest Carbon Tracking Initiative

CEOS Role

  • CEOS, with the support of the LSI Constellation, is demonstrating the technical capacity and institutional frameworks to support continuity of the required satellite observations in support of post-Kyoto regulatory frameworks.

  • 7 National Demonstrator countries have been the subject of a coordinated satellite data acquisition effort by CEOS agencies in 2009 - with complete coverage achieved for both radar and optical data (LSI contributions).

  • A demonstrator portal showing available data and forest carbon datasets has been developed:

    Link to GEO Forest Carbon Tracking Portal: portal.geo-fct.org

  • In addition, the Landsat contributions for the 7 National Demonstrator countries are searchable through the USGS:

    Link to Earth Explorer - Forest Carbon Sites: earthexplorer.usgs.gov


    • Forest Carbon Tracking Goals:

    Demonstrate that coordinated Earth observations, validated by in situ measurements and properly linked to forest models, can provide reliable information of suitable consistency, accuracy and continuity to support forest carbon Monitoring, Reporting and Verification leading to eventual establishment of a network of national forest and carbon monitoring systems.

    Define a set of standards and interoperability requirements and methodologies to provide the most accurate results relying on the full potential of existing observational and processing capabilities.