Overview
Global Carbon Project (GCP) is an international scientific research initiative established in 2001 to develop a comprehensive understanding of the global carbon cycle and greenhouse gas emissions. It was founded through a partnership under the Earth System Science Partnership and later became a core project of Future Earth, a global sustainability research network. GCP’s purpose is to integrate scientific knowledge of greenhouse gases from human activities and natural systems to inform climate science and policy.
Mission and focus areas
GCP aims to synthesise and communicate robust scientific data on the major greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) — and their role in climate change. Its core activities include producing global emissions budgets and advancing the scientific understanding of biogeochemical cycles. Research outputs support the broader sustainability community, including climate policy makers, environmental analysts and sustainability practitioners tracking progress towards international climate targets such as the Paris Agreement. GCP’s work aligns with environmental reporting, carbon accounting metrics and the scientific basis for climate risk assessment.
Structure and governance
GCP operates through an international Scientific Steering Committee chaired by leading scientists, with a rotating membership comprising experts from diverse research institutions worldwide. It has multiple international project offices, including global, regional, and thematic units. Leadership roles such as Executive Director and committee members coordinate scientific activities, partnerships and publication efforts. Collaboration with global research networks like Future Earth and the World Climate Research Programme underpins its governance framework.
Programs and offerings
GCP’s key outputs include the Global Carbon Budget, published annually and widely regarded as the most comprehensive assessment of global carbon emissions and sinks. It also delivers methane and nitrous oxide budgets, and supports the Global Carbon Atlas, an online tool that visualises carbon flux data for diverse audiences. Publications and datasets produced by GCP are widely used by researchers, policy makers and sustainability professionals as credible references for climate mitigation planning, greenhouse gas tracking and environmental analysis.
