Strengthening independent monitoring of GHG emissions from land activities for publishing, comparing and reconciling estimates

The objective of the study is a proof of concept for publicly available, comprehensive, global, spatial information systems on land cover, land emissions, land use and associated trends. A number of case studies are developed to demonstrate how such information systems can support the implementation of land-based mitigation activities. Firstly, in order to define the case studies, the available information systems are analysed according to their strengths and weaknesses. This analysis results in a list of challenges and gaps that currently limit data availability and the readiness of approaches to be used independently for comparing and reconciling. The study demonstrates that which is needed to enable, catalyse and fasten progress towards more reliable, accurate, precise, time-consistent and globally comparable information on land emissions.