Project Credible opens public consultation on its report on “Earth Observation for MRV of Carbon Farming – Uncertainty and Benchmarking”

Earth Observation (EO) technologies are widely recognised as a key tool in the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) of Carbon Farming, as they provide scalable, cost-effective, and consistent data solutions across large geographic areas and land-use classes. However, the application of these technologies faces challenges related to standardisation and cost-accuracy trade-offs, among others, that need to be addressed to boost stakeholder trust. In this context, Project Credible has recently published the report “Earth Observation for MRV of Carbon Farming – Uncertainty and Benchmarking”, which is now available here and open for public consultation.

The document, authored by Antonella Sucurro (CinSOIL) and Gerry Lawson (EURAF), among other experts, emerged as a result of the discussions led by Mónica Miguel-Lago and the EARSC Team within one of the project’s Focus Groups. The paper examines the challenges and opportunities for the use of EO techniques, providing recommendations focusing on the need for reliable and openly-available data on the impacts of land-use practices over space and time. Overall, the goal is to gain the understanding and trust of farmers and foresters who manage the land, operators who administer the certification schemes, and policymakers who authorise the certification framework itself.

As the report outlines, EO offers an array of tools to directly monitor vegetation cover, biomass density and carbon inputs to the soil, among others, but it must be combined with models (through data assimilation) or machine learning approaches to generate meaningful quantitative outputs. Furthermore, there are inherent limitations which stress the need for integrated approaches that combine in-situ, remote sensing, and model-based methods. Understanding the limits of both EO-driven and ground-truth measurements is fundamental to managing expectations from all stakeholders.

All in all, the report addresses the capabilities and limitations of satellite-derived data for carbon farming MRV, provides recommendations to ensure data accuracy, integration, and reliability, and explores the establishment of an EU benchmarking platform, integrating and harmonising the ongoing efforts in research and in the private sector. Don’t miss the opportunity to share your insights in this public consultation, which is funded by the European Union and monitored closely by the Expert Group on Carbon Removals that supports the Commission in its efforts to develop the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation.