The CO2_EMMA dataset comprises of level 2, column-averaged dry-air mole fractions (mixing ratios) of carbon dioxide (XCO2). It has been produced using the ensample median algorithm EMMA to produce a merged SCIAMACHY and GOSAT XCO2 Level 2 product, as part of the ESA Greenhouse Gases Climate Change Initiative (GHG_cci) project. This version of the product is v2.2, and forms part of the Climate Research Data Package 4.The EMMA algorithm has been applied to level 2 data from multiple XCO2 retrievals from the Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) and the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) on board the European Space Agency's environmental research satellite ENVISAT. This merged SCIAMACHY and GOSAT XCO2 Level 2 product is primarily used as a comparison tool to assess the level of agreement / disagreement of the various input products (for model-independent global comparison, i.e. for comparisons not restricted to TCCON validation sites and independent of global model data). For further information on the product and the EMMA algorithm please see the EMMA website, the GHG-CCI Data Products webpage or the Product Validation and Intercomparison Report (PVIR).