About

The UNSW ESSRC Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Measurement team is undertaking world-leading research in measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere and quantifying the rate of emissions from urban and industrial facilities, mines, agricultural regions, and natural landscapes. Our research aims to identify GHG mitigation opportunities and baseline Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) source category emissions for verifying national inventories and tracking net zero progress. Our measurements are also advancing our knowledge of Earth’s systems, especially the carbon cycle. These studies contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), UNSW’s Sustainability Plan, and UNSW Science’s Pact for Impact. Our team works closely with many international organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

 

Greenhouse Gas Sources

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that coal provides approximately one third of global energy generation. Annually, coal contributes approximately 25 Mt CO2-e towards Australia’s 2022 UNFCCC Paris Agreement Inventory (433 Mt CO2-e). Estimating the true rate of GHG emissions from open-cut coal mines remains highly controversial. We are currently undertaking ground-, airborne- and satellite-based measurements of GHG emissions in the Hunter Coalfields to identify all sources of methane associated with coal production with the aim of quantifying the true rate of emissions from coal production.

Oil and Gas GHG emissions contribute approximately 22 Mt CO2-e towards Australia’s GHG inventory annually. Since 2018 we have worked closely with the United Nations Environment Programme International Methane Emissions Observatory (UNEP IMEO) to quantify the GHG emissions from this sector, and we contributed to the world’s first airborne study that verified the rate of emissions from coal seam gas production.

Urban emissions are an easy and large mitigation opportunity. Annually up to 4% of gas distributed through urban gas networks is lost to the atmosphere. Our research maps these urban GHG emission sources so that they can be reduced or eliminated. There are numerous opportunities to map and reduce urban emissions from gas networks, landfills, wastewater facilities and the sewerage network.

Emissions from agriculture, and cattle enteric fermentation and manure management, annually contribute approximately 77, 41 and 4 Mt CO2-e towards Australia’s GHG inventory, respectively. We have new research projects with the NSW Decarb Hub – Land and Primary Industry Network and SmartSAT CRC to develop airborne and satellite based methods to baseline agricultural GHG emissions. This work will enable us to track Paris Agreement net zero progress and determine if emission reduction projects are being successfully implemented.

Satellite-based total atmospheric column GHG measurement systems are yielding extensive insights about the Earth’s carbon cycle and the rate of GHG emissions from anthropogenic sources.  Over the next decade many high-resolution satellites will be launched, such as MethaneSAT, which was placed in orbit in March 2024.  We are using a combination of ground and airborne methods to verify satellite-based greenhouse gas products. 

Honours, Masters, and PhD Supervision

We are always happy to have students join the research team. We can offer a diverse range of research topics and training that focus on greenhouse gas source emission rate measurement and modelling. We are often out in the field undertaking car- and aircraft-based surveys across different areas of Australia, and analysing and modelling ground-breaking satellite GHG datasets that are making real-world impacts by informing and verifying Australia’s GHG inventories.

The diverse skills learned by our graduates are in high demand both nationally and internationally, with former students finding engaging careers in government, industry, international organisations and research. We have a strong supervision track record, having mentored 12 PhD, 3 Masters by Research, 26 Masters by Coursework, and 21 Honours candidates to completion and successful careers.

 

Selected Media

Sydney Morning Herald (2024) Satellite to Sniff Out Fugitive Emissions

UK Financial Times (2021) Bowen Basin Coal Mine Emissions

ABC News (2021) Surat Basin - Coal Seam Gas Study

ABC 7:30 (201) Surat Basin- Coal Seam Gas Study  – video

The Conversation (2016) Coal Mine Emissions

Sydney Morning Herald (2020) Sydney Urban Gas Leaks

Sydney Morning Herald (2020) Narrabri Gas Project

The Saturday Paper (2015) Coal Seam Gas

Australia Geographic (2012) Coal Seam Gas and Fracking

 

NGO Support on the Science of Greenhouse Gas Measurements

Environmental Defenders OfficeOpen Methane, The Sunrise Project, Ember Climate

Research Staff

Associate Professor Bryce Kelly is an Environmental Scientist with extensive experience in groundwater, greenhouse gas source attribution, determining the rate of greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and carbon accounting. His research is focused on providing defensible scientific evidence about groundwater, soil and greenhouse gas sources and sinks, to guide policy and legislative developments. He has undertaken projects on traditional oil and gas developments, coal seam gas (CSG) production impacts, coal mining and agriculture.  Research he has led is cited in government legislation (water sharing plans), NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer reports, government inquiries, Environmental Impact Statements on CSG developments, public submissions on CSG developments, and Australia’s National Inventory submission to the UNFCCC. The international impact of his research is reflected in citations by the United Nations, UNEP, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, IPCC, World Meteorological Organization, UK Government, Asian Development Bank, OECD, and others. He also helps UNSW contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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bryce.kelly@unsw.edu.au

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Dr Stephen Harris completed his PhD under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Bryce Kelly (UNSW) and Dr Dioni Cendón (ANSTO) in 2021. This research focussed on measuring and understanding nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural settings in Eastern Australia. During his PhD, he undertook a Research Fellowship in the Laboratory for Emissions and Isotopes at Empa, Switzerland, where he developed calibrating schemes for GHG laser spectrometers. He has subsequently held roles as a research assistant at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), and a Postdoctoral Researcher for the UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) where he led the analysis of several airborne measurement campaigns conducted across Australia as part of IMEO’s Methane Science Studies. In his role at UNSW, he oversees the data acquisition and analysis of airborne- and satellite-based measurements of GHG emissions in the Hunter Coalfields.

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s.j.harris@unsw.edu.au

Hannah Beaton is a climate and environmental science researcher, with experience in carbon accounting, mapping greenhouse gas emissions, and greenhouse gas policy developments.  Her research is providing policy and management insights for the Australian Government Climate Change Authority, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and the NSW EPA. She is currently focused on assessing greenhouse gas emissions from open-cut coal mines, grazing cattle and feedlots.

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