Nanomaterials describe, in principle, materials of which a single unit is sized (in at least one dimension) between 1 to 1000 nanometres (10−9 meter) but usually is 1 to 100 nm (the usual definition of nanoscale).
Current global observational and modelling capabilities allow scientists to produce estimates of the carbon budget, but many uncertainties remain. An EU-funded initiative was therefore established to provide more and better data on carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) through a global carbon observation and analysis system.