Scientists take to air and sea to chart progress on greenhouse gases

Scientists will use the results from the project to help gauge and track progress on Government targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. The project will measure gases emitted from various UK sources, such as industry, landfill and agriculture. Tracking their movements will also help researchers improve their current understanding of how the gases affect climate change. A team of British researchers will fly across the UK in an aircraft equipped with sensors to measure carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in the air. The team will also take samples from sensors on a North Sea ferry, and from a series of towers, several storeys high, situated across the UK. Results from the four-year survey will be coupled with observations from European, US and Japanese satellites of greenhouse gas movements. Together this will give details of UK emissions to the atmosphere, in a global context, taking account of seasonal changes, such as emissions linked to agriculture.