Project description
Better carbon tracking through satellite eyes
Terrestrial ecosystems such as forests, grasslands and deserts absorb nearly 30 % of human CO2 emissions, but the uncertainty about the variation in natural carbon sinks poses a major concern. While Europe benefits from an extensive network of observations, limitations in terms of fluxes pose major challenges for verifying national and regional emissions. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the INVERSO project combines high-resolution satellite products with drone-based hyperspectral observations and ground-level flux towers, developing a robust inverse modelling framework. Although initially focused on Denmark, the project’s scalable methodology provides high-resolution, policy-relevant data crucial for strengthening monitoring, reporting and verification systems across the EU.
Objective
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most significant long-lived greenhouse gas driving anthropogenic climate change. While progress has been made in reducing fossil fuel emissions, major uncertainties remain in the carbon cycle due to limited knowledge of natural sources and sinks. Terrestrial ecosystems absorb nearly 30% of annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions, yet their variability and permanence are poorly constrained, limiting the reliability of climate projections and mitigation strategies. In Europe, despite dense observational networks and emissions inventories, significant gaps persist in CO2 flux estimates, constraining the capacity to verify national and regional emissions.
Ground-based flux towers provide accurate local information but are costly and spatially restricted. Satellite remote sensing offers unprecedented opportunities to overcome these limitations, with the upcoming CO2M mission expected to deliver high-resolution atmospheric CO2 data. When combined with atmospheric transport models, these data enable more robust assessments of spatial and temporal flux patterns. However, current systems often fall short in producing regionally resolved CO2 budgets robust enough for EU policy verification.
The INVERSO project (INverse modelling and VERification of carbon fluxes using Satellite Observations) will address these gaps by integrating next-generation satellite products (e.g. CO2M) with updated prior flux information through the IMI inversion framework, coupled with WRF-Chem transport simulations. Independent validation will use flux towers and drone-based hyperspectral observations from the GHG-MONITOR project. By providing high-resolution, policy-relevant CO2 flux estimates, INVERSO will strengthen monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems. Although developed for Denmark, its scalable methodology will contribute to EU-wide climate neutrality efforts.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering satellite technology
- engineering and technology environmental engineering remote sensing
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences atmospheric sciences climatology climatic changes
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.