Satellite observation of greenhouse gases: Monitoring the climate change regime

The managerial model of treaty compliance theory suggests that the flow of information in the United Nations Convention on Climate Change/Kyoto Protocol regime is designed in two ways: monitoring environmental conditions (systematic observation) and monitoring compliance (self-reporting and review). The significance of satellite Earth observation is that it provides an integral part of systematic observation, although not directly responding to procedural treaty obligations such as report and review. If we are to use satellite data as a potential global common measurement tool, there is a need to bridge the gaps between observation methods and the policy framework.