The IM4CA project will develop methods and deliver scientific knowledge and data on the regional and global sources and sinks of atmospheric methane in the past, present, and future. Based on this information, IM4CA will provide recommendations on effective measures to mitigate the adverse climate impacts of atmospheric methane as required by the Paris agreement and the Global Methane Pledge.
General aims
- Objective 1: Strengthen methane mitigation policy world-wide with actionable information on local methane emissions and key driving processes.
- Objective 2: Provide the EU with the measurement and modeling capacity needed to monitor its methane emissions and assess the progress towards its emission reduction targets.
- Objective 3: Explore and understand climate feedbacks on natural methane sources and sinks.
- Objective 4: Elucidate the role of changing atmospheric methane sinks in observed growth rate variations.
- Objective 5: Improve the accuracy of climate scenarios by resolving the controversy about the causes for the recent growth rate variations in global methane.
CMCC role
CMCC is the leader of Work Package 7 (Synthesis & Outreach), where it is responsible for integrating methane emission estimates across different approaches and ensuring their consistency with international datasets and policy needs. In this context, CMCC contributes to the development of harmonised assessments, supports the transfer of scientific results to operational monitoring systems such as Copernicus, and helps translate project outcomes into policy-relevant insights, including tracking progress towards international climate targets. In addition, CMCC is actively involved in Work Package 8 (Dissemination and Exploitation), contributing to communication, stakeholder engagement, and the development of dissemination and exploitation strategies to maximise the impact and uptake of IM4CA results
Activities
The IM4CA project aims to improve the understanding and mitigation of methane emissions at European and global scale. It develops advanced monitoring systems, including mobile platforms and new observation sites in key regions. Extensive field campaigns in Europe, the Arctic, and tropical Africa provide high-quality observational data. These data are integrated with satellite observations to enhance emission detection and monitoring capabilities. The project advances atmospheric modelling, inverse modelling, and data assimilation techniques. It investigates both anthropogenic and natural methane sources, including their variability and drivers. IM4CA also improves emission inventories and analyses historical and recent methane trends. Future emission and mitigation scenarios are developed to assess climate impacts and policy options. All results are integrated into a comprehensive methane assessment framework. Finally, the project supports policymakers by providing actionable insights aligned with global climate initiatives
Expected results
The IM4CA project is expected to deliver a set of scientific, technical, and policy-relevant results aimed at improving methane monitoring and mitigation:
- Improved quantification of methane emissions and sinks at regional and global scale through the integration of multi-platform observations (in situ, airborne, and satellite);
- Enhanced monitoring and modelling capacity for the EU, enabling assessment of progress towards methane reduction targets (e.g. 30% reduction under the EU Methane Strategy and Global Methane Pledge);
- New observation infrastructures and methodologies, including advanced use of satellite data and harmonized monitoring systems;
- Better understanding of methane sources, sinks, and climate feedbacks, especially in key regions such as the Arctic and tropical wetlands;
- Resolution of uncertainties in global methane trends, including the causes of recent growth rate variations;
- More accurate climate scenarios and projections, supported by improved emission data and modelling frameworks;
- Actionable information for policymakers, including reliable emission mitigation scenarios and decision-support tools;
- Strengthened European leadership in methane assessment, with improved capability to support international climate initiatives.
Partners
- VUA – Stichting VU
- UU – Universiteit Utrecht
- AGH – Akademia Gorniczo-Hutnicza im. Stanislawa Staszica w Krakowie
- BIRA – Institut Royal d’Aeronomie Spatiale de Belgique
- CEA – Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
- CYI – The Cyprus Institute
- ECMWF – European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
- E3M – E3-Modelling AE
- FMI – Ilmatieteen Laitos
- GFZ – GFZ Helmholtz-Zentrum fur Geoforschung
- IIASA – Internationales Institut fuer Angewandte Systemanalyse
- INCAS – Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare Aerospatiala “Elie Carafoli” – INCAS Bucuresti
- INOE – Institutul National de Cercetare Dezvoltare pentru Optoelectronica INOE 2000
- MPI – Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften e.V.
- NILU – Stiftelsen NILU
- NTNU – Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet NTNU
- SP – Science Partners
- SRON – Stichting Nederlandse Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Instituten
- TNO – Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
- UBREMEN – Universitaet Bremen
- ULEEDS – University of Leeds
- ULUND – Lunds Universitet
- UNIVIE – Universitat Wien
- UVSQ – Universite de Versailles Saint-Quentin en Yvelines
- EMPA – Eidgenossische Materialprufungs- und Forschungsanstalt
- UMN – Universite Marien Ngouabi
- CMCC – Fondazione Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici