It has been established by the IPCC that human influences on climate are unmistakable. The most important of these influences is the change in the chemical composition of the atmosphere due to anthropogenic emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases like CO2 and CH4. Anthropogenic emission of short-lived trace gases, like NO2 and HCHO, lead to a change in heating rate of the atmosphere via tropospheric ozone formation. Anthropogenic emission of aerosols can either cool or heat the atmosphere. Clouds are an important natural feedback factor, since clouds mostly cool the surface.

In our division we observe the climate-related atmospheric constituents: ozone, aerosols and clouds. We use the satellite instruments OMI, SCIAMACHY, GOME-2 and SEVIRI. The main climate products of our division are: total ozone, ozone profile, aerosol absorbing index, cloud fraction, cloud height, and cloud physical properties. Data are distributed via TEMIS (ESA) and via the Ozone Monitoring SAF and the Climate Monitoring SAF (EUMETSAT).