Carbon Mapper Charts Path For Real-Time Emissions Tracking To Accelerate Climate Mitigation Efforts

(Credit: Carbon Mapper)

Carbon Mapper, a U.S. 501c3 non-profit, aims to accelerate climate action and environmental stewardship with real-time tracking and technical services made possible by advanced satellite technology.

Carbon Mapper satellites point at key infrastructure areas such as oil and gas production fields, pipelines, refineries, power plants, regions with large concentrations of livestock, and urban areas where landfills, wastewater treatment plants and natural gas distribution systems are common. Carbon Mapper’s technology is highly precise and provides greater frequency of emissions sampling -- daily or weekly as needed -- and can detect both methane and CO2 emissions from commercial and industrial facilities. 

The organization's stated mission is to:

• Persistently pinpoint, quantify and track strong methane and CO2 emissions at facility scale
• Offer a rapid methane leak detection service to facility operators and regulators
• Deliver independent data to help certify methane intensity for oil and gas supply chains
• Increase global accessibility, transparency and understanding of methane and CO2 data
• Work with key partners to advance new data-driven emission mitigation strategies

To achieve maximum impact, Carbon Mapper has established a robust coalition of private and public sector resources and expertise including:

• NASA JPL will leverage its advanced remote sensing technology;
• Planet will design and build the satellites;
• California Air Resources Board (CARB) will offer policy leadership and action;
• High Tide Foundation has led the investment in Carbon Mapper;
• The University of Arizona will provide scienti?c leadership and emissions data delivery;
• Arizona State University (ASU) will lead efforts to develop new environmental indicators;
• RMI will guide use case applications;
• Bloomberg Philanthropies will provide funding and climate impact leadership.

For transparency and accessibility, Carbon Mapper will make methane and CO2 data available to the public through its global open data portal. 

“Methane emissions are one of the leading causes of climate change around the world, but we need more data to identify the most effective ways to reduce them,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions, Founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and 108th Mayor of New York City. “As I like to say, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it – and the Carbon Mapper will be a valuable tool in helping us do both.”