Climate policy verification using satellite data

Orbiting #methane "speed cameras" are catching #oilandgas companies in the act. Satellite images are so clear it's possible to see methane #emissions at the individual asset level. At least two dozen high-resolution satellites are expected to be in orbit by the end of this year. The images sent back are crystal clear and leave little doubt about WHO is responsible for the leaks. These missions will usher in a new era of climate transparency and will help keep oil and gas companies accountable 👏 For example, the image below is of a methane release observed on 5th Feb near Exxon Mobil's Big Eddy Unit 156 that Exxon initially failed to disclose to state officials. After Bloomberg shared the imagery with Exxon, the company notified state regulators. Exxon blamed the omission on "human error" and said "someone forgot to file a form" 🙄 While fines and enforcement vary, companies increasingly face reputational risks and potential loss of business if their operations are seen as contributing more than peers to the climate crisis. Methane has 86x the warming power of carbon dioxide during its first two decades in the atmosphere. Halting emissions of the greenhouse gas could do more to slow climate change in the near-term than almost any other single measure. Facility-level information on emissions is hugely valuable because it's directly actionable. The methane observations are also exposing flaws in decades-old reporting approaches used by companies and government agencies that have typically underestimated emissions. For example, satellite data published earlier this year shows that in the US, methane emissions from oil and gas operations from 2010-2019 were 70% higher than amounts reported by the Environmental Protection Agency. This year could see a wave of new reports on operator leaks, as new orbitals increase the coverage and frequency of observations. For operators unable to halt their emissions, that may mean a loss of credibility, fees or trouble insuring future projects. Fossil fuel companies are running out of places to hide. #energy #sustainability #energytransition #emissionsreduction

We're seeing in real-time how data and technology are becoming catalysts to accelerate progress towards climate and nature goals. The latest release? A monthly - yes, thats right, MONTHLY - global carbon emissions inventory. Its based on precise, live data gathered by satellites, sensors, and artificial intelligence. That is a mix of data and technology supercharging our ability to track our progress on climate pollution. This step-change is delivered by Climate TRACE, founded by Al Gore and supported by a global, not-for-profit coalition of over 100 universities, scientists, and AI experts. I attended my first COP in 2011. Over the years I have often voiced my frustration over the lack of accountability around COPs, climate diplomacy, netzero pledges and overall progress on climate goals. This new tool allows us to check if countries are indeed doing what they promise, and if netzero pledges are having the impact they claim. It reduces the need for big conferences focused on self-reported progress and offers a major incentive for the corporates who are leading the way on decarbonizing to get their much deserved credit. To me, this is another nail in the coffin for #greenwashing. And a major advocacy/litigation tool. These reports will be released regularly, offering the world the most up-to-date, granular data on GHG emissions that current technology can provide -absolutely free. #progress #parisagreement #climatechange #NDCs UNDP Climate Gavin McCormick Alexia Kelly Shyla Raghav Megan Ahearn Bradley (Brad) Andrick Dan Hammer Nicole Brown Deborah Gordon Ted Nace Ingmar Rentzhog Pep Canadell Frida Berry Eklund

BREAKING: Climate data just entered the real-time era 📊 For the first time in history, we now have monthly, independently verified data showing exactly who is polluting, how much, and where. No more pledges. No more greenwashing. No more excuses. Backed by Al Gore, Climate TRACE has launched the world’s first real-time climate emissions dashboard — powered by satellites, sensors, and AI, tracking over 660 million sources. This is like a Bloomberg Terminal for the planet. And it could be the most powerful climate accountability tool ever created. But will the world allow it to reshape the system? Or will vested interests bury it before it can do what it was built to do? I break it down in my latest Forbes article — including insights from COP29, Jay Inslee, and the data that could change everything. 👉 Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/duFxH6P3 #RealTimeClimateData #ClimateTRACE #AlGore #ClimateAction #Forbes #WeDontHaveTime #Transparency #NetZero #GHG #ClimateJustice

🌍 Satellites are transforming how we track #methane emissions - from regional to continental scales - helping evaluate policy effectiveness and progress toward goals like the Global Methane Pledge. But satellites aren’t a silver bullet. One limitation: using satellite data from production regions as a proxy for supply chain emissions. This is especially true in countries like the U.S. with complex midstream systems (pipelines, processing, transport). 🔎 In our recent work, we tested this idea: measuring supply chain GHG emissions from the Appalachian, Permian, and Haynesville basins to the Gulf Coast. We found that: ➡️ Low upstream emissions gas from Appalachia can end up with higher LNG supply chain intensity than gas from the Permian, depending on the path it takes. ➡️ Ignoring midstream pathways risks incentivizing higher-emission supply chains. Two take-aways: 1️⃣ Cutting midstream methane is critical (the good news: we know the key sources). 2️⃣ Multi-scale measurement is essential - satellites are powerful for some applications, but not for all. Getting GHG accounting right means using the right tools at the right scale. Paper: https://lnkd.in/g4VYSD6h