Workshop ITMS General Assembly 2025 in Heidelberg
From 23th to 25th September the Institute of Environmental Physics hosted the third General Assembly of the project “Integriertes Treibhausgas-Monitoringsystem für Deutschland” (ITMS, Integrated Greenhouse Gas Monitoring System for Germany). 100 scientists from across Germany gathered in Heidelberg to discuss progress and future directions in building a national greenhouse gas monitoring system.
Funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), ITMS was launched in October 2022 with the ambitious goal of enabling Germany to operationally monitor the sources and sinks of the three most important long-lived greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O).
The 3rd General Assembly marked an important milestone: it was the last meeting in ITMS Phase 1, the science-focused phase of the project. Over the past 3 years, ITMS has developed and tested innovative methods for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions and uptake in Germany, combining atmospheric observations, refined emission estimation, and atmospheric modeling approaches.
Hosted by Heidelberg University, the General Assembly provided a vibrant platform for exchange between partners. „GHG monitoring is more important than ever“ said keynote speaker Prof. Sander Houweling in the face of accelerating climate change and tightening emissions targets. Keynote speaker Prof. Michaela Hegglin reminded attendees: „Only what can be measured can be managed“, emphasizing the importance of the work done within ITMS.
With Phase 2 on the horizon, ITMS is preparing to transition from scientific development towards operational implementation, ensuring that Germany has a robust, independent system to track progress towards its climate goals.