In total, the UK contribution to ICOS can be broken down into the following constituent elements:

Physical observing systems

Composite image of three observation stations

Ocean Thematic Centre

Image of the globe showing observation nodes

Financial Costs

Image of a stack of coins representing the UK-ICOS costs

Benefits of the UK being a part of ICOS

By being a fully paid member of ICOS the UK benefits from access to:
 

  • Harmonised cutting-edge GHG measurement techniques and processes,
     
  • Up-to-date information on the activities in ICOS RI,
     
  • Support for station instrumentation, protocols and training,
     
  • Harmonized and processed data from world class monitoring stations,
     
  • EU capital funding available through the EU Infrastructure roadmap,
     
  • National capital funding available through the UK RI roadmap.
     

More specifically the UK benefits in the following ways:
 

  • The UK science community as a whole will participate in the allocation of capital, leveraging of EU funding and GHG accounting at a European level,
     
  • Individual UK monitoring stations will have access to the EU ICOS infrastructure and the associated benefits of the CAL, Thematic Centres and Carbon Portal, on a station by station basis,
     
  • UK scientists will create new, and maintain existing, strong research collaborations with other European scientists. These collaborations and research will keep the UK at the forefront of global GHG research,
     
  • Enable the UK to continue its leading role in international climate change science, engaging and influencing national and international policy and governmental negotiations