News - Climate TRACE
News & Insights
Stay up to date on the latest from Climate TRACE as we share news, data, and insights that help the global community make meaningful climate action faster and easier.
VIDEO: How to use the Climate TRACE platform to access global GHG emissions data
Sep 22, 2023VIDEO: How to use the Climate TRACE platform to access global GHG emissions data
This overview of the Climate TRACE platform provides an introduction to the tool and a step-by-step explanation of how to use each part of the site to browse, search, and download global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data..
How Climate TRACE and the JIM Foundation are Bringing Greater Transparency to Financed GHG Emissions
Sep 19, 2023How Climate TRACE and the JIM Foundation are Bringing Greater Transparency to Financed GHG Emissions
"This partnership with JIM foundation will add an important layer of transparency to the issue of asset financing, so the world understands more about what’s driving the climate crisis and so banks, investors, and others can have the information they need to mitigate risk and reduce their financed emissions" shared Gavin McCormick, Climate TRACE co-founder..
Intel from Above: Spotting Methane Super-Emitters with Satellites
Sep 12, 2023Intel from Above: Spotting Methane Super-Emitters with Satellites
Data from methane-sensing satellites help shape Climate TRACE inventories and make hidden emissions visible. A new report and web tool from our partners at RMI are designed to help users understand and assess satellite “completeness” as it relates to pinpointing and tracking large point-sources of methane. These sources are difficult to track but have an outsized impact on our climate. .
Conversations With the Coalition: Jeremy Freeman
Aug 30, 2023Conversations With the Coalition: Jeremy Freeman
As part of an ongoing Climate TRACE series, we are interviewing individual coalition members about their work. We recently caught up with Jeremy Freeman, Head of Research & Engineering, GEMS, at environmental tech nonprofit WattTime. .
How Climate TRACE Guards Against the AI “Hallucination Problem”
Aug 24, 2023How Climate TRACE Guards Against the AI “Hallucination Problem”
Issues of AI algorithm accuracy and bias have come to the forefront of public consciousness, thanks to the popularity of large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and their hallucination problem..
A Texas Dairy Ranks Among the State’s Biggest Methane Emitters. But Don’t Ask the EPA or the State About It.
Aug 18, 2023A Texas Dairy Ranks Among the State’s Biggest Methane Emitters. But Don’t Ask the EPA or the State About It.
An Inside Climate News analysis leverages Climate TRACE data on methane emissions from individual dairies and feedlots and quotes Sam Schiller of coalition member Carbon Yield..
California’s Top Methane Emitter is a Vast Cattle Feedlot
Aug 18, 2023California’s Top Methane Emitter is a Vast Cattle Feedlot
What makes the Inside Climate News deep-dive into cattle emissions so valuable? Currently, government databases exempt agricultural operations from GHG emissions accounting, but these hidden emissions are more than just a drop in the bucket. Climate TRACE and Inside Climate News collaborated to shine a light on farm-by-farm emissions data for dairies and cattle feedlots. .
Climate TRACE's Bold Plan to Map Emissions with Satellites, Sensors & AI
Aug 08, 2023Climate TRACE's Bold Plan to Map Emissions with Satellites, Sensors & AI
Catch Climate TRACE co-founding member Gavin McCormick on this episode of Invested in Climate! He shares an inside look at how our coalition functions and how our collaborative and mission-focused approach is helping us bring new levels of transparency to the climate fight..
Estimating Coal Power Plant Operation from Satellite Images with Computer Vision
Aug 07, 2023Estimating Coal Power Plant Operation from Satellite Images with Computer Vision
Coalition member TransitionZero discusses how it uses machine learning and satellite data to fill critical data gaps in public emissions data..
Steel Industry Makes ‘Pivotal’ Shift Towards Lower-carbon Production
Jul 20, 2023Steel Industry Makes ‘Pivotal’ Shift Towards Lower-carbon Production
A new report from Climate TRACE coalition member Global Energy Monitor highlights a notable shift toward lower-carbon steel production. The report shows that 43% of planned steelmaking capacity is now based on lower-emitting electric arc furnace technology, up from 33% one year earlier..
How Can the Vantage of Space Give you Strategic Advantage on Earth?
Jul 19, 2023How Can the Vantage of Space Give you Strategic Advantage on Earth?
This new report from EY explores how satellite data can be harnessed to make positive changes across sectors and use cases. WattTime.org's Lekha Sridhar spoke with the EY team to explain how this is unfolding in emissions monitoring and climate action..
What the Fossil Fuel Industry Doesn't Want You to Know
Jul 19, 2023What the Fossil Fuel Industry Doesn't Want You to Know
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore recently took to the TED stage to make a passionate argument about the need to quickly and completely transition away from fossil fuels and for polluting companies to adhere to the climate commitments they're setting, citing Climate TRACE data to make his point. .
Conversations With the Coalition: Sam Schiller
Jul 18, 2023Conversations With the Coalition: Sam Schiller
As part of an ongoing Climate TRACE series, we are interviewing individual coalition members about their work. We recently caught up with Sam Schiller, Co-Founder and CEO of Carbon Yield, which works with more than 100,000 acres of croplands to help them access the resources required to transition to regenerative agriculture..
Harnessing the Power of Decision-support Tools to Trigger Climate Action
Jun 26, 2023Harnessing the Power of Decision-support Tools to Trigger Climate Action
What is climate action without the proper decision support tools? As history has shown us — not very effective. But those tools have advanced and are ready to be put to use at scale, and Climate TRACE data plays an important role..
Kearney Partners with Climate TRACE: Revamping Supply Chains to Reduce GHG Emissions
Jun 19, 2023Kearney Partners with Climate TRACE: Revamping Supply Chains to Reduce GHG Emissions
Companies worldwide are grappling with how best to measure and report on their emissions impacts, especially as so many set net-zero targets requiring consistent awareness of emissions reduction progress. Global management consulting firm Kearney has the expertise to guide its clients toward their climate goals, and by integrating the Climate TRACE emissions inventory, they're now providing even stronger data insights..
Going the Distance with Remote Sensing
Jun 07, 2023Going the Distance with Remote Sensing
Remote sensing involves gathering information from a distance. By detecting and monitoring data without having to make physical contact, remote sensing makes it possible to monitor things as varied as the health of a cornfield, a city’s air pollution, and plumes from a power plant..
Reporting Guide to Holding Governments Accountable for Climate Change Pledges — Chapter 5: Alternative Sources of Country Emissions Data
May 31, 2023Reporting Guide to Holding Governments Accountable for Climate Change Pledges — Chapter 5: Alternative Sources of Country Emissions Data
Turkish edition of GIJN names Climate TRACE among list of trusted 3rd-party sources for emissions data..
Conversations with the Coalition: Marisa Hughes
May 18, 2023Conversations with the Coalition: Marisa Hughes
As part of a new Climate TRACE series, we are interviewing individual coalition members about their work. Up first is Marisa Hughes from the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), where she manages the team of data scientists applying remote sensing and AI to estimate emissions from road transportation..
Al Gore Calls on South Korea to Prioritize Investments in Clean Energy
May 14, 2023Al Gore Calls on South Korea to Prioritize Investments in Clean Energy
Former US vice president warns failure to address climate crisis would increase geopolitical tensions. He sites Climate TRACE data identifying two of the top five most-emitting power plants in the world are located in South Korea, as are two of the top five most-emitting steel plants, and three of the top seven most-emitting refineries in the world..
We Must "Act Now" on Global Warming Says IPCC – Advanced Energy Storage Among Top Technologies Fighting Climate Change in 2023
May 11, 2023We Must "Act Now" on Global Warming Says IPCC – Advanced Energy Storage Among Top Technologies Fighting Climate Change in 2023
We know time is of the essence in fighting the climate crisis, but the tools to help us act with haste are available and improving daily. We're proud to say that Climate TRACE's global emissions inventory is one of them..
Intel from Above: a Q&A on Satellite Completeness with RMI’s Fran Reuland
May 04, 2023Intel from Above: a Q&A on Satellite Completeness with RMI’s Fran Reuland
Fran Reuland is a manager with the Climate Intelligence team at RMI, a member of the Climate TRACE coalition working on data in the oil and gas sector. We sat down with her for a brief interview on satellite completeness, the subject of RMI’s latest report, and Satellite Point source Emissions Completeness Tool (SPECT)..
Are You Ready For AI-Driven Radical ESG Transparency?
Apr 30, 2023Are You Ready For AI-Driven Radical ESG Transparency?
"Then there’s the extraordinary tool of Climate TRACE which generated the world’s first global emissions inventory... all openly available for any passing consumer, regulator or prospective employee to check.".
The Bottom Line on Ground Truth Data
Apr 04, 2023The Bottom Line on Ground Truth Data
A crucial part of the Climate TRACE approach involves training machine learning algorithms with ground truth data. In this article, we look at what it is; when, where, and how we use it; and some common challenges we’ve had to address..
iOS Update Adds to Carbon Emissions Forecasting Trend
Apr 03, 2023iOS Update Adds to Carbon Emissions Forecasting Trend
"...the Climate TRACE initiative has expanded its carbon emissions forecasting capabilities and now captures data on 80,188 physical assets worldwide, including oil and gas fields, transportation systems such as the LA road network, airports, and more." .
States and Regions Have a New Method to Cut Their Emissions - Using Satellites, Remote Sensing Data and AI
Mar 30, 2023States and Regions Have a New Method to Cut Their Emissions - Using Satellites, Remote Sensing Data and AI
Climate TRACE and Climate Group take a detailed look back at their STARRS project working with six states and regions around the world..
Transitioning to a Zero Carbon Economy with Matt Gray from TransitionZero
Mar 20, 2023Transitioning to a Zero Carbon Economy with Matt Gray from TransitionZero
A discussion with Matt Gray, CEO of coalition member TransitionZero on how they leverage the power of machine learning to create a positive impact on the world. .
A Matter Of Time: Three Ways To Clarify Emissions Data
Mar 17, 2023A Matter Of Time: Three Ways To Clarify Emissions Data
Climate TRACE's platform allows users to see emissions data through the lens of both 20- and 100-year global warming potential. As of last year, users can also see emissions metrics for carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)..
How to parse asset ownership in Climate TRACE data
Feb 26, 2023How to parse asset ownership in Climate TRACE data
Climate TRACE data cover not just where facilities are located, along with estimates of how much GHG emissions they release, but also who owns them. The ownership piece brings important transparency, detail, and accountability to emissions intelligence and climate action..
Automated Emissions Reduction with Gavin McCormick from WattTime
Feb 20, 2023Automated Emissions Reduction with Gavin McCormick from WattTime
Tune into this episode of the Impact AI podcast with Heather Couture, PhD to hear Gavin McCormick, founder and executive director of WattTime.org, discuss how Climate TRACE came to be and how a large coalition with a shared goal is accomplishing together what none could have achieved alone..
How Satellites and AI Enhance Emissions Intelligence for More-effective Climate Action
Feb 10, 2023How Satellites and AI Enhance Emissions Intelligence for More-effective Climate Action
WattTime.org and Climate TRACE team member Lekha Sridhar recently shared a few insights on how to leverage advancements in GHG emissions intelligence to greatly improve climate action decisions and policies..
Fighting Climate Change: These 5 Technologies are our Best Weapons
Feb 08, 2023Fighting Climate Change: These 5 Technologies are our Best Weapons
We're glad to see Climate TRACE and "remote sensing of greenhouse gas emissions" on this list of tools to fight the climate crisis. Read the full list in ZDNET..
How Can Financial Institutes Avoid Greenwashing in Their Corporate Reporting?
Feb 08, 2023How Can Financial Institutes Avoid Greenwashing in Their Corporate Reporting?
The Age of Greenwashing series addresses how to identify and mitigate greenwashing risks from a corporate reporting, asset management as well as advisory perspective. Climate TRACE is plays an important roll in this effort by enhancing ESG transparency which means corporations will have to deliver measurable proof on sustainability expectations..
Satellite Tracking is Helping Scientists Pinpoint the Worst Emissions Offenders
Feb 02, 2023Satellite Tracking is Helping Scientists Pinpoint the Worst Emissions Offenders
Gore is one of the backers of Climate TRACE, an organization that leans on an emerging branch of science combining satellite technology with artificial intelligence (AI) to help create a clearer picture of the state of global emissions. .
Report Acts As ‘Playbook’ For Gov’t. Action/Implementation Of AI Capability In Helping Tackle Climate Challenges
Jan 28, 2023Report Acts As ‘Playbook’ For Gov’t. Action/Implementation Of AI Capability In Helping Tackle Climate Challenges
ScienceBlog examines a recent report from Climate Change AI and the Centre for AI & Climate which highlights Climate TRACE..
How to Understand Asset-level Emissions by Country
Jan 27, 2023How to Understand Asset-level Emissions by Country
Since the launch, many users are leveraging the tool to look up the most-emitting facilities in their specific country. Yet sometimes, a funny thing happens: a known source of major emissions for that country appears to be missing from the Climate TRACE asset-level dataset!.
Beyond the UI: What's in the Asset Metadata
Jan 25, 2023Beyond the UI: What's in the Asset Metadata
Much more information is available in the CSV data downloads compared to what is available on the website dashboard. In this article we take a closer look at how the data are organized and what’s contained in the CSV files..
Climate TRACE: The Map that Balances the Biggest Polluters on the Planet (in French)
Jan 23, 2023Climate TRACE: The Map that Balances the Biggest Polluters on the Planet (in French)
There are sectors and sites that pollute more than others... And recently, they have been listed on Climate Trace. By making very precise data accessible, this map finally lifts the veil on global greenhouse gas emissions..
Climate Data Startups Take Science Off Campus and Into Boardrooms
Jan 12, 2023Climate Data Startups Take Science Off Campus and Into Boardrooms
There is more demand than ever for climatedata and insights to help both governments and corporations manage risk and plan for the future. Read more about how the climate data ecosystem is evolving in Bloomberg..
2022: A Tumultuous Year in ESG and Sustainability
Dec 21, 20222022: A Tumultuous Year in ESG and Sustainability
The past year has been a challenging one for companies on the ESG front. Overlapping environmental, social, and political crises — from flooding and wildfires to the first war in Europe in 80 years — have made the jobs of leaders that much harder. Climate TRACE is one of the featured stories that dominated the year..
Two Major Oil and Gas Emissions Trends Revealed by Climate TRACE This Year
Dec 14, 2022Two Major Oil and Gas Emissions Trends Revealed by Climate TRACE This Year
Our latest GHG emissions inventory included data from the top 500 oilandgas assets in 90 countries that produce nearly all the world's oil & gas. Coalition member RMI unpacks their key takeaways from this year's inventory in a new article..
What’s in My Air?
Dec 02, 2022What’s in My Air?
Key to addressing the climate crisis is having an accurate picture of greenhouse gas emissions. Gavin McCormick discusses how Climate TRACE global emissions data verifies emissions reduction pledges made under the Paris Agreement, and provides clear guidance as to what to target next.
New ‘Climate Trace’ Emissions Database Unveiled at COP27
Nov 30, 2022New ‘Climate Trace’ Emissions Database Unveiled at COP27
The Climate Trace emissions database was unveiled at COP27. The project is a huge joint effort of more than 100 collaborators and 300 satellites to measure greenhouse gas emissions around the world..
Thirst for (clean) power
Nov 24, 2022Thirst for (clean) power
Satellite data analyzed by TransitionZero as part of the Climate TRACE initiative reveals a sharp increase in the burning of coal in parts of China during the summer of 2022, which led to further water stress during a period of acute drought..
Who’s Driving Climate Change? New Data Catalogs 72,000 Polluters and Counting
Nov 09, 2022Who’s Driving Climate Change? New Data Catalogs 72,000 Polluters and Counting
A nonprofit backed by Al Gore and other big environmental donors says it can track emissions down to individual power plants, oil fields and cargo ships..
Gore Announces Fossil Fuel Emissions Inventory at UN Summit
Nov 09, 2022Gore Announces Fossil Fuel Emissions Inventory at UN Summit
A detailed inventory of the top known sources of greenhouse gas emitters found that the top 14 individual polluters are all gas and oil fields and their associated facilities, despite their emissions being “significantly underreported.”.
This Global Emissions Inventory is Al Gore’s Secret Weapon at COP27
Nov 09, 2022This Global Emissions Inventory is Al Gore’s Secret Weapon at COP27
The Climate TRACE coalition unveiled a new, highly detailed inventory of global greenhouse gas emissions, which it hopes will help countries and companies looking for effective, targeted ways to decarbonize..
Al Gore-affiliated Group Finds Systematic Emissions Underreporting
Nov 09, 2022Al Gore-affiliated Group Finds Systematic Emissions Underreporting
A coalition of groups using satellite observations, artificial intelligence and machine learning revealed on Wednesday the most comprehensive facility-level accounting of global carbon emissions..
This Map Shows Exactly Where 70,000 of the World’s Biggest Polluters are Located
Nov 09, 2022This Map Shows Exactly Where 70,000 of the World’s Biggest Polluters are Located
With data on cargo ships, oil fields, cattle feedlots, and more, the map could help businesses, investors, and policymakers know what sites to target first in order to reduce emissions..
Johns Hopkins APL Uses AI, Satellite Images to Track Greenhouse Emissions
Nov 09, 2022Johns Hopkins APL Uses AI, Satellite Images to Track Greenhouse Emissions
Learn how Climate TRACE member Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory is creating automated, accurate, global, timely and actionable road transportation GHG emissions estimates for the top 500 emitting cities worldwide using satellite data and AI..
Clearing the path to easier, more-accurate Scope 3 emissions intelligence
Oct 28, 2022Clearing the path to easier, more-accurate Scope 3 emissions intelligence
An accurate and complete understanding of Scope 3 emissions is central to any life cycle assessment (LCA) of a company’s or product’s carbon footprint..
STARRS project launched to provide accurate emissions data for states and regions
Mar 24, 2022STARRS project launched to provide accurate emissions data for states and regions
The Climate Group and Under2 Coalition launch the “States and Regions Remote Sensing” (STARRS) project, using Climate TRACE data to help governments to improve their understanding of their current and historical GHG emissions. .
FULL REPORT: Bringing Radical Transparency to Global Emissions
Nov 01, 2021FULL REPORT: Bringing Radical Transparency to Global Emissions
How Climate TRACE is harnessing satellites and artificial intelligence to advance emissions monitoring through direct observation and open data. Includes a look at 2021 YTD data for certain sectors and countries..
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Bringing Radical Transparency to Global Emissions
Nov 01, 2021EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Bringing Radical Transparency to Global Emissions
How Climate TRACE is harnessing satellites and artificial intelligence to advance emissions monitoring through direct observation and open data. Includes a look at 2021 YTD data for certain sectors and countries..
Beyond Paris And Countries’ Territorial Waters And Airspace: Tracking Emissions from Shipping and Aviation
Sep 16, 2021Beyond Paris And Countries’ Territorial Waters And Airspace: Tracking Emissions from Shipping and Aviation
In recent years, transportation has emerged as the fastest-growing source of GHG emissions worldwide..
Data project backed by Al Gore aims for real-time emissions monitoring
Sep 16, 2021Data project backed by Al Gore aims for real-time emissions monitoring
A technology and academic coalition backed by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore was set to unveil on Thursday data showing fossil fuel producers' previously unrecorded greenhouse gas emissions, and growing pollution from shipping and aviation. Other details about the precise sources of climate change are also shown in the material by Climate TRACE, drawing on data from satellites and high-level computer analysis..
Satellites may hold countries to their Paris pledges
May 12, 2021Satellites may hold countries to their Paris pledges
Environmental agreements are hard to enforce without independently verified data. But the availability of high-quality satellite imagery — combined with advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning — allows for real-time monitoring of carbon emissions, deforestation and other activities..
A wave of carbon emissions data soon will be upon us
Feb 09, 2021A wave of carbon emissions data soon will be upon us
A radical increase in available carbon emissions data may be just around the corner. Should it happen within a matter of months as proponents hope, its effects will spread around the world to dramatic effect..
Al Gore: Where I Find Hope - NY Times Oped
Dec 12, 2020Al Gore: Where I Find Hope - NY Times Oped
In November of next year, all of the signatories to the Paris Agreement will meet in Glasgow with a mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions much faster than they pledged to do in 2015. What will be new in Glasgow is transparency..
Why We Must ALL Invest In Solutions To Save Our Planet
Nov 25, 2020Why We Must ALL Invest In Solutions To Save Our Planet
Make no mistake about it, carbon accounting is the new sustainability. And thanks to innovators like Climate TRACE, which uses AI and satellites to pinpoint both quantity and sources of human-caused emissions, greenwashing will be a thing of the past..
What ML practitioners are doing about climate change
Sep 11, 2020What ML practitioners are doing about climate change
Last year, WattTime received a grant from Google.org’s AI Impact Challenge to see whether computer vision can track power plant emissions outside the U.S. from satellite imagery. In July, WattTime joined nine organizations and Al Gore to form Climate Trace, a group that wants to trace global emissions in major sectors of the economy, like power plants and shipping..
Climate TRACE to track real-time global carbon emissions
Aug 16, 2020Climate TRACE to track real-time global carbon emissions
Combating climate change faces big challenges even beyond those that many people think about much. For instance, carbon emissions are not tracked as they happen, so policy makers and the public don’t know who’s polluting, when, and how much. That makes international agreements, like the Paris Climate agreement, tough to verify. That could soon change..
Tracking climate data in real time
Jul 20, 2020Tracking climate data in real time
Climate TRACE, an alliance of climate research groups, is developing a new tracker using artificial intelligence that would allow the public to access international climate data in real time. They hope to have it ready to unveil at the COP26 climate change meetings in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021..
Real Time Emissions Data Is Finally Coming, Thanks to Al Gore's New Coalition
Jul 16, 2020Real Time Emissions Data Is Finally Coming, Thanks to Al Gore's New Coalition
With all the alarming climate data out there, you’d think there’s some magical entity diligently measuring greenhouse gas emissions every second of every day — but the reality is, a lot of that data is simply estimates. To clear up the ambiguity and controversy surrounding emissions data reporting, a group of nine climate and tech groups and former Vice President Al Gore have come together to form the Climate TRACE coalition..
How a New Effort to Trace Emissions, Led by Al Gore, Could Reshape Climate Talks
Jul 16, 2020How a New Effort to Trace Emissions, Led by Al Gore, Could Reshape Climate Talks
Historically, there’s been no way for third parties to directly gather data on the greenhouse gas emissions of both public and private entities. Now, a new coalition of nine climate and technology organizations calling themselves Climate Trace say they have used satellite data, artificial intelligence and other technology to track greenhouse-gas emissions from across the globe remotely..
The entire world’s carbon emissions will finally be trackable in real time
Jul 16, 2020The entire world’s carbon emissions will finally be trackable in real time
One of the challenges in managing the greenhouse gas emissions warming the atmosphere is that they aren’t measured very well. The ultimate solution to this problem — the killer app, as it were — would be real-time tracking of all global greenhouse gases, verified by objective third parties, and available for free to the public..
Climate Groups Will Combine AI and Satellites to Monitor GHG Emissions Worldwide
Jul 15, 2020Climate Groups Will Combine AI and Satellites to Monitor GHG Emissions Worldwide
Nine nonprofits, tech companies, and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore announce ‘Climate TRACE’ coalition to build upon unprecedented technical breakthroughs to actively identify, measure, and trace all significant human-caused GHG emissions to their sources.
This Al Gore-supported project uses AI to track the world’s emissions in near real time
Jul 15, 2020This Al Gore-supported project uses AI to track the world’s emissions in near real time
As the world tries to figure out how to flatten the climate curve—cutting global emissions in half by the end of the decade, and reaching net-zero emissions by the middle of the century—one challenge is how to track current emissions from every power plant, farm, and other source on the planet. A new project called the Climate TRACE Coalition plans to use satellite imagery and AI to ....
