The annual Carbon Outlooks released by the EU-funded 4C project provide an overview of the evolution of the CO₂ emissions during the past year, prepared in collaboration with the Global Carbon Project.

The ocean is an important carbon sink, taking up CO₂ that is released into the atmosphere by anthropogenic activities, such as fossil fuel burning and lang use changes. It is estimated that the ocean takes up about 37% of fossil fuel CO₂ emissions.

The European Geosciences Union (EGU) is hosting its yearly General Assembly on 23-27 May 2022. The conference brings together scientists from the Earth, planetary and space science fields to present and discuss the latest research in their fields, in particular targeting early-career scientists.

A number of 4C researchers are participating in the event, presenting their findings on carbon cycle research and climate predictions. Policy-relevant results that can help reduce uncertainties and move towards a net-zero world are also showcased. 

The 4C Carbon Outlook, released in November 2021, is warning that stronger climate policies are needed to trigger the necessary short-term action to reduce CO₂  emissions sufficiently in the coming decade to keep the option for 1.5°C alive. 

The carbon budget is a powerful concept developed in the last decade to assess how much additional carbon dioxide (CO₂) humans can emit before a temperature target will be reached with a given probability. It provides critical knowledge to policymakers in order to prepare appropriate mitigation plans.

Better understanding the relationship between the temperature increase and cumulative CO₂ emissions is crucial in determining how the global mean temperature will change after emissions reach zero.