Project description DEENESFRITPL Impact of greenhouse gas emissions from rivers on climate change Scientists cannot yet quantify how river CO2 and CH4 emissions will influence future climate warming. The EU-funded RIV-ESCAPE project will therefore combine river CO2 and CH4 flux, river flow dynamics and carbon (C) supply at minutes to hours resolution over seasonal timescales. Researchers will focus on Arctic rivers experiencing pronounced warming and holding large stores of ancient C in soils. RIV-ESCAPE will also apply isotope geochemistry to river gases, waters and sediments to quantify the controls on the age and source of CO2 and CH4 in rivers around the world. The results will help determine the sensitivity of river CO2 and CH4 emissions to future warming. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Rivers around the world release large quantities of greenhouse gas, with an estimated 1.8 ± 0.3 PgC yr-1 released as carbon dioxide (CO2), and ~20-25 TgC yr-1 as methane (CH4). These fluxes are equivalent to half of the annual increase in CO2 and CH4 concentrations in the atmosphere due to human activities. However, we cannot yet quantify how river CO2 and CH4 emissions will change, nor assess their potential to amplify future climate warming. There are two main challenges: i) the main drivers of CO2 and CH4 release from rivers (supply of carbon and the dynamics of river flow) change simultaneously, and their relative importance is obscured in existing data, limiting our ability to build and test predictive models; ii) the age of river CO2 and CH4 is poorly constrained, meaning that we cannot determine whether this is anthropogenic carbon that is leaking out from prior storage on land, or whether it derives from ancient carbon stores in the landscape. RIV-ESCAPE will transform our understanding by recognising the need for direct measurements that combine river CO2 and CH4 flux, river flow dynamics and C supply at high temporal resolution (minutes to hours) over seasonal timescales, across nested scales in river catchments. Such novel field installations could be used anywhere to improve our understanding: we will focus on Arctic rivers that are experiencing pronounced warming and hold large stores of ancient carbon in soils. In parallel, we will use cutting-edge isotope geochemistry methods for river gases, waters and sediments to quantify the controls on the age and source of CO2 and CH4 in rivers around the world. The new empirical data will combine with physical and numerical experiments to provide a step-change in our knowledge of how changes in temperature and precipitation set river greenhouse gas source and the rate of release, allowing us to assess for the first time the sensitivity of river CO2 and CH4 emissions to future warming. Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeochemistryisotope geochemistrynatural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryaliphatic compounds Keywords Rivers Carbon cycle Radiocarbon Carbon Dioxide Methane Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2020-COG - ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS Call for proposal ERC-2020-COG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant Host institution THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Net EU contribution € 2 189 855,00 Address WELLINGTON SQUARE UNIVERSITY OFFICES OX1 2JD Oxford United Kingdom See on map Region South East (England) Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 2 189 855,00 Beneficiaries (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 2 189 855,00 Address WELLINGTON SQUARE UNIVERSITY OFFICES OX1 2JD Oxford See on map Region South East (England) Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 2 189 855,00 UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 31 322,50 Address UNIVERSITY AVENUE G12 8QQ Glasgow See on map Region Scotland West Central Scotland Glasgow City Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 31 322,50 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 25 117,50 Address STOCKTON ROAD THE PALATINE CENTRE DH1 3LE Durham See on map Region North East (England) Tees Valley and Durham Durham CC Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 25 117,50
