Commission grants EU legal status to the Integrated Carbon Observation System
date: 20/11/2015
ICOS is a pan-European Research Infrastructure which provides harmonized and high precision scientific data on carbon cycle and greenhouse gas budget and perturbations. It integrates atmosphere, ecosystem and ocean monitoring networks in order to provide the observational basis for a full European carbon balance and its trends. Long-term observations of the greenhouse gas emissions and their regional dynamics provided by ICOS will enable the evaluation of the mitigation activities against climate change.
ICOS has been established by eight founding members: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Finland –which is the hosting country– and Switzerland as observer. ICOS ERIC is the 12th European Research Infrastructure Consortium established.
The European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) Regulation entered into force in 2009. This specific legal form is designed to facilitate the joint establishment and operation of research infrastructures of European interest.