Tools record trees' CO2 consumption

The idea is to understand how different types of urban landscape cope with carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and how planners might create ‘carbon neutral’ or more sustainable city developments in the battle against carbon emissions.

The instruments, which also measure wind, temperature, humidity and sunshine, record the CO₂ concentration of the air as it passes by. They have been fixed on masts above Marrowbone Lane (an urban site with little or no surrounding trees or vegetation) and above St. Pius X Girl’s National School in Terenure (a suburban site with plenty of surrounding trees and vegetation).

A third instrument has been fixed to a mobile mast that can be located at different locations around the city. This will allow the scientists to measure the impact of heavy traffic and other key factors involved in the local carbon cycle. The instruments will be in place for three to five years.

Globally, cities contribute about 80 per cent of CO₂ emissions attributed to human activities, but the nature of these emissions is rarely studied. Through this research the scientists hope to better understand the urban processes that give rise to these emissions and to determine the ability of particular urban spaces to capture CO₂ after its generation.