Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
My work sits within the field of Earth System Science and primarily focuses on the carbon cycle and climate change. I am particularly interested in the factors that control wildfire and other landscape fires, and the consequences of fire for carbon storage on land and in aquatic environments. My involvement with the Global Carbon Project allows me to explore wider interests in how humans affect the carbon cycle and climate through our use of fossil fuel and land use change.
In one branch of my research, I study the drivers of wildfire on global and regional scales. I am funded by an Independent Research Fellowship from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to construct the first global dataset of lightning-ignited wildfires, which will be critical to understanding the impact of climate change on wildfire activity and carbon emissions in global forests. I am also leading an effort to map global 'pyromes' –regions where fire is similarly sensitive to climate variability, land use, the abundance of human or lightning ignition sources, and the amount and nature of vegetation available to burn. Mapping of pyromes can help us to understand the sensitivity of distinctive world regions to future changes in climate and will support the improved modelling of fire processes. Within my team, PhD students and research associates are evaluating the impacts of climate change on opportunities for wildfire mitigation via prescribed fire and the varying role of humans in deforestation and wildfire trends in Amazonia.
In another branch of my research, I study the consequences of wildfire for carbon storage on land and in aquatic environments. I have improved the modelling of carbon stock changes following wildfire and quantified the transport of fire-altered forms of carbon to the global oceans by rivers.
As a member of the Global Carbon Budget, I contribute to the annual assessment of the Global Carbon Budget. I also lead on annual efforts to map fossil CO2 emissions globally and assess changes in climate due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases.
Academic Background
PhD in Physical Geography at the University of Exeter (2014-2018). Evaluated the impacts of fire on the quantity and quality of carbon flowing through rivers.
Postdoc, Swansea University (2017-2019). Studied the legacy effects of fire on the land carbon cycle.
Postdoc, UEA School of Environmental Science (2019-2022). Joined as a postdoc to work on the Global Carbon Budget.
NERC Independent Research Fellow (2022-present). Won NERC funding to work on the impact of climate change on the global geography of wildfire.
Affiliations. I am a member of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, the Climatic Research Unit at UEA, and the international Global Carbon Project.
Research Group or Lab Membership
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Climatic Research Unit
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Bachelor of Science, University of Exeter
15 Sep 2010 → 15 Jul 2013
Award Date: 15 Jul 2019
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Exeter
15 Sep 2014 → 1 Nov 2018
Award Date: 29 May 2019
External positions
Core Team, Global Carbon Project
1 Mar 2019 → …
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Fighting fire with fire: global impacts of climate change on wildfire mitigation using prescribed burns
Jones, M., Carmenta, R., Kolden, C., Warren, R. & Hsu, A.
1/09/22 → 30/09/26
Project: Training
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Following the light: using ‘brightspots’ to avoid future Amazonian fires
Carmenta, R., Jones, M., Rodriguez Fernandez, I., Anderson, L. O. & Barlow, J.
SeNSS-ARIES Joint Studentship Project
1/09/22 → 31/03/26
Project: Training
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Climate change impacts on wildfire ignitions by lightning and the safe management of landscape fuels
Natural Environment Research Council
31/03/22 → 30/03/27
Project: Fellowship
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Observation-based system for monitoring and verification of greenhouse gases
Le Quéré, C., Peylin, P., Aalto, T., Astrup, R., Bombelli, A., Brunner, D., Buchwitz, M., Chang, J., Dolman, H., Engelen, R., Gerbig, C., Gon, H., Gunther, D., Hammer, S., Hase, F., House, J., Janssens-Maenhout, G., Kern, B., Kutsch, W., Makarova, M., Nabuurs, G., O'Brien, P., Obersteiner, M., Olsen, A., Osborn, T., Palmer, P., Peters, G., Peters, W., Regnier, P., Rigler, E., Ruyssenaars, P., Scholze, M., Serengil, Y., Smith, P., Tarasova, O., Thompson, R., Tworke, K., Vitullo, M., Zakharov, V., Andrews, O., Jones, M., Pickers, P. & Harris, I.
1/02/18 → 31/07/22
Project: Research
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CO2 Human Emissions (ECMWF Lead)
Balsamo, G., Le Quéré, C., A, R., Baillion, Y., Boesch, H., Bovensmann, H., Brunner, D., Butz, A., Chevallier, F., Gon, H., Houweling, S., Janssens-Maenhout, G., Kaminski, T., Lizon-Tati, L., Manning, A., Munro, R., Papale, D., Peters, W., Prunet, P., Reichstein, M., Scholze, M., Thompson, R., Weise, D., Andrews, O., Jones, M. & Pickers, P.
1/10/17 → 31/12/20
Project: Research
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National contributions to climate change due to historical emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide since 1850
Jones, M. W., Peters, G. P., Gasser, T., Andrew, R. M., Schwingshackl, C., Gütschow, J., Houghton, R. A., Friedlingstein, P., Pongratz, J. & Le Quéré, C., 29 Mar 2023, In: Scientific Data. 10, 155.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile7 Citations (Scopus)53 Downloads (Pure) -
The consolidated European synthesis of CO2 emissions and removals for EU27 and UK: 1990–2020
McGrath, M. J., Petrescu, A. M. R., Peylin, P., Andrew, R. M., Matthews, B., Dentener, F., Balkovič, J., Bastrikov, V., Becker, M., Broquet, G., Ciais, P., Fortems, A., Ganzenmüller, R., Grassi, G., Harris, I., Jones, M., Knauer, J., Kuhnert, M., Monteil, G., Munassar, S. & 45 others, , 26 Jan 2023, 123 p. (Earth System Science Data Discussions).Research output: Working paper › Preprint
Open Access -
Climate change: wildfire risk has grown nearly everywhere – but we can still influence where and how fires strike
Doerr, S. H., Santín, C., Abatzoglou, J., Jones, M. & Canadell, P., 30 Jun 2022, The Conversation.Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
Open Access -
CO2 emissions from energy systems and industrial processes: Inventories from data- and proxy-driven approaches
Roten, D., Marland, G., Bun, R., Crippa, M., Gilfillan, D., Jones, M. W., Janssens-Maenhout, G., Marland, E. & Andrew, R., 14 Mar 2022, Balancing Greenhouse Gas Budgets: Accounting for Natural and Anthropogenic Flows of CO2 and other Trace Gases. 1 ed. ElsevierResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
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Definitions and methods to estimate regional land carbon fluxes for the second phase of the REgional Carbon Cycle Assessment and Processes Project (RECCAP-2)
Ciais, P., Bastos, A., Chevallier, F., Lauerwald, R., Poulter, B., Canadell, P., Hugelius, G., Jackson, R. B., Jain, A. K., Jones, M., Kondo, M., Luijkx, I. T., Patra, P. K., Peters, W., Pongratz, J., Petrescu, R., Piao, S., Qiu, C., von Randow, C., Regnier, P. & 7 others, , 16 Feb 2022, In: Geoscientific Model Development. 15, 3, p. 1289–1316 28 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile20 Citations (Scopus)13 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Gridded fossil CO2 emissions and related O2 combustion consistent with national inventories
Jones, M. (Creator), Andrew, R. M. (Creator), Peters, G. P. (Creator), Janssens-Maenhout, G. (Creator), De-Gol, A. (Creator), Dou, X. (Creator), Liu, Z. (Creator), Pickers, P. (Creator), Ciais, P. (Creator), Patra, P. K. (Creator), Chevallier, F. (Creator) & Le Quéré, C. (Creator), Zenodo, 13 Sep 2022
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4277266, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4277266
Dataset
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National contributions to climate change due to historical emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide
Jones, M. (Creator), Peters, G. P. (Creator), Gasser, T. (Creator), Andrew, R. M. (Creator), Schwingshackl, C. (Creator), Gütschow, J. (Creator), Houghton, R. A. (Creator), Friedlingstein, P. (Creator), Pongratz, J. (Creator) & Le Quéré, C. (Creator), Zenodo, 13 Feb 2023
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7076346, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7076346
Dataset
Prizes
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CarbonBrief/Altmetric Top Climate Paper in 2020 for News and Social Media attention
Jones, Matthew (Recipient), 13 Jan 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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NERC Independent Research Fellowship
Jones, Matthew (Recipient), Jun 2021
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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Outstanding Global Reach & Significance (Winning Research Group)
Jones, Matthew (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Web of Science Highly Cited Paper
Jones, Matthew (Recipient), 10 Mar 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Wiley Top Cited Articles 2021-2022
Jones, Matthew (Recipient), 21 Feb 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Wildfire Impact, Risk and Mitigation Workshop
Matthew Jones (Invited expert)
18 Jan 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Workshop with external stakeholders/organisations
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UK Earth System Model Capability Centres - TerraFIRMA Workshop: Future Impacts, Risks and Mitigation Actions in a changing Earth system (Event)
Matthew Jones (Member)
Dec 2021 → …Activity: Membership › Network, Working Group or Professional Association
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Climate services for a Net Zero resilient world (CS-N0W)
Matthew Jones (Consultant)
2021 → 2022Activity: Consultancy
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Global Carbon Project (External organisation)
Matthew Jones (Member)
Mar 2019 → …Activity: Membership › Network, Working Group or Professional Association
Press/Media
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UK weather forecast: ‘Meteorological mayhem’ set to rock Britain ‘climate breakdown’ hits (Aug 22)
13/08/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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How drones, robots and AI are used to tackle wildfires (July 2022)
25/07/22 → 26/07/22
6 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Wildfire risk has grown nearly everywhere, but we can still influence where and how fires strike (July 2022)
1/07/22 → 24/07/22
49 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Global warming driving California wildfire trends - study
24/09/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media