MRV: A critical tool for tracking emissions and accelerating climate action

Volume 3

We need to drastically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The latest issue of FLUXES, the European Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, by ICOS – sheds light on an essential tool to help decision-makers assess progress towards a net zero world: science-based Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems.

Monitoring refers to data and information regarding emissions. 

Reporting is the act of compiling this information into inventories. 

Verification points to independent assessment of the reported information to ensure accuracy.

MRV is already well established in the UNFCCC framework with the national inventories. However, complementing the inventories with MRV systems, informed by scientifically measured greenhouse gas data, increases the power to support societies in their climate action from the local to the global scale. 

FLUXES is an annual publication by ICOS, the Integrated Carbon Observation System – a European Research Infrastructure. The aim is to highlight topical climate issues to policy advisers and climate journalists. The first volume was published in 2022.
 

By Werner Kutsch
By Peter Taggart
By Charlotta Henry
By Maria Luhtaniemi
By Maria Luhtaniemi
By Kira Taylor
By Charlotta Henry
By Charlotta Henry

All FLUXES volumes

Cities: from emission hotspots to climate action innovators

Volume 4, 2025

The new issue of FLUXES launches on 3 November!

Cities emit a large amount of greenhouse gases, but they also hold significant potential to mitigate the climate crisis. While national governments set ambitious climate targets, cities are where policies turn into tangible action.

For a city to truly tackle its greenhouse gas emissions, it must first know what it’s up against. Cities need accurate and timely emissions data to monitor and track climate action progress.

Nature-based solutions for net zero

Volume 2, 2023

FLUXES vol 2 highlights the potential and limitations of nature-based solutions for carbon removals from a scientific perspective. FLUXES is an annual scientific publication addressing climate change related issues supporting European policy-makers.

Are carbon sinks at risk?

Volume 1, 2022

This inaugural edition of FLUXES explores how long-term observation data can answer questions such as:

Has there been an acceleration of the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?’
Has extreme weather in Europe influenced the carbon cycle of ecosystems and, consequently, changed their ability to store carbon?’