2021 Report
The mission of the European Commission Atmospheric Observatory is to benchmark the impact of European policies and international conventions on air pollution and climate forcing at critical locations.
At the JRC-Ispra site, located in one of the most polluted area of Europe, we measure greenhouse gas concentrations (CO2, CH4), radon (222Rn) activity, short-lived gaseous and particulate pollutant concentrations (CO, SO2, NO, NO2, O3, NMHCs, NH3, PM2.5 and its main ionic and carbonaceous constituents), atmospheric particle micro-physical characteristics (number concentration and size distribution) and optical properties (light scattering absorption and extinction coefficients in-situ, light scattering and extinction vertical profiles remotely), and eutrophying and acidifying species (sulphate, nitrate, ammonium) wet deposition.
Vegetation - atmosphere exchanges (CO2, H2O and heat) are measured at our Mediterranean Forest Flux Station of San Rossore (climate sensitive ecosystem), backed up by meteorological and pedological measurements.
Several COVID-19 epidemic waves affected human mobility in 2021, but no effect on CO2 concentrations could be detected. The low NO, NO2, SO2, PM and high O3 levels we observed cannot simply be attributed to COVID impacts before a direct link is demonstrated.
Preliminary data suggest that the Mediterranean pine tree forest was a larger net sink for CO2 in 2021 compared to previous years.
All data can be downloaded from the JRC Data Catalogue or open data banks.
PUTAUD Jean-Philippe;
ARRIGA Nicola;
BOROWIAK Annette;
CAVALLI Fabrizia;
DELL'ACQUA Alessandro;
DUERR Marlene;
JENSEN Niels;
LAGLER Friedrich;
MANCA Giovanni;
MARTINS DOS SANTOS Sebastiao;
MATTEUCCI Marco;
PASSARELLA Rosanna;
PEDRONI Valerio;
2023-01-18
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC131651
978-92-76-60229-3 (online),
1831-9424 (online),
EUR 31339 EN,
OP KJ-NA-31-339-EN-N (online),
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC131651,
10.2760/145714 (online),
