Focus Groups outcomes on “how to monitor”
The insights from the first European Carbon Farming Summit and the feedback received during the Public Consultation stage are key parts of the work currently being carried out within the 11 Focus Groups of Project Credible, with the second Summit on the horizon. The experts are now refining their recommendations on the best strategies to scale up robust climate actions, through engagement with stakeholders, assessment of methodologies, debates, collaborations, and the expansion of the Credible network.
The key outcomes of the Focus Groups in WP3 (“Existing monitoring capabilities as enablers of soil data collection and sharing”) are the following:
How to harmonise public and private datasets for mapping and monitoring soil carbon dynamics
Transparent, harmonised and high-quality interoperable data is needed to promote carbon farming and certification schemes. With this in mind, a comprehensive top-down approach to foster data collection and sharing should be put in place, ranging from the development of analytical standards and protocols to EU subsidies.
Proximal sensing and digitalisation for carbon farming
Proximal sensing and digitalisation are key tools to promote credible MRV systems, but there are still technical and personal issues that need to be addressed to achieve rapid, accurate, inexpensive and non-destructive measurements. In this sense, a roadmap must be developed considering regionality, transparency, accuracy, comparability, and cost-effectiveness of solutions, as well as the readiness of operators to implement them.
Earth observation for the monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon farming
Satellite-based Earth Observation (EO) is an essential technology to enable robust and cost-effective mapping and evaluation of carbon farming and for the enhancement of transparency and credibility of carbon removal schemes, but many challenges still remain from technical and governance points of view. EO calculations, validation and data accessibility need to be improved, promoting its adoption in the standard methodologies by certifiers.
How long-term monitoring sites could support robust MRV systems
Long-term monitoring sites (LTMs) are crucial for the long run analysis and evaluation of carbon farming schemes, but several challenges must be overcome before they can support robust MRV systems. A series of concrete recommendations to enhance the scope of LTMs, implement FAIR data principles and face technical challenges has been developed.