The Continental-Scale Greenhouse Gas Balance of Europe

This book assesses the current greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring capabilities of Europe, identifies and quantifies the uncertainties involved, and outlines the direction to a continental scale GHG monitoring network. The chapters provide a synthesis, based on current research results, of the European greenhouse gases budget, including both human-induced and biospheric sources and sinks. The authors also make recommendations for a multi-disciplinary integration in order to provide the scientific foundation for a full carbon, and possibly full greenhouse, accounting system by 2010. Through the CarboEurope project, Europe is taking the lead in much of this research, and it will be of interest to other areas of the world as well.

The book uniquely addresses both the methodology of carbon cycle science and the science itself. Rather than being a straight methods book, it is a synthesis of carbon cycle science. The methods included are valuable, but are used to contribute to an understanding of biospheric regulation, providing the first comprehensive coverage of a full GHG accounting and monitoring system.