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Al Gore's climate watchdog spots rogue emissions
https://www.science.org/content/article/al-gore-s-climate-watchdog-spots-rogue-emissionsAl Gore’s climate watchdog spots rogue emissions
At U.N. meeting, Climate Trace nonprofit reveals gaps in countries’ greenhouse gas inventories using satellites and AI
3 DEC 2023•1:00 AM ET•BY PAUL VOOSEN
The carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) that have such palpable effects on climate are frustratingly elusive. Even advanced satellites struggle to pinpoint plumes of the gases, which are the dominant drivers of global warming. Instead, countries assess their emissions by piecing together direct measurements, statistics on agriculture and fossil fuel use, and modeling. This week, at the United Nations’s annual climate change conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), countries are presenting those emissions inventories to show whether they have made progress on promised cuts.
Yet the figures are often misleading, according to Climate Trace, an independent watchdog that is tracking emissions based on new kinds of satellite data, together with artificial intelligence (AI). Its latest assessment, released today, shows that in 2021 Russia left out greenhouse gases equivalent to 1.5 billion tons of CO2 and the United States missed 400 million tons, much of it driven by CO2 emissions from oil and gas operations. Overall that year, among wealthy nations required to report to the U.N., Climate Trace estimates 3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent gases went unreported—some 5% of total global emissions.
Other large polluters are not yet required to submit inventories. China last reported one in 2014, but Climate Trace estimates the country’s emissions have grown by 17% since then. The UAE, meanwhile, last estimated emissions of 225 million tons in 2019, but Climate Trace found at least 354 million tons for that year. “Why the difference?” asks Gavin McCormick, Climate Trace’s co-founder. “Unclear.”
Backed by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Climate Trace is a coalition of nonprofits and academics that made headlines 2 years ago with its first analysis of 72,000 of the world’s largest greenhouse gas sources. Its newest assessment looks at 352 million greenhouse gas sources. “It is really incredibly powerful,” Gore says. “This serves a purpose that is at the top of humanity’s priority list.”
[...]
At U.N. meeting, Climate Trace nonprofit reveals gaps in countries’ greenhouse gas inventories using satellites and AI
3 DEC 2023•1:00 AM ET•BY PAUL VOOSEN
The carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) that have such palpable effects on climate are frustratingly elusive. Even advanced satellites struggle to pinpoint plumes of the gases, which are the dominant drivers of global warming. Instead, countries assess their emissions by piecing together direct measurements, statistics on agriculture and fossil fuel use, and modeling. This week, at the United Nations’s annual climate change conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), countries are presenting those emissions inventories to show whether they have made progress on promised cuts.
Yet the figures are often misleading, according to Climate Trace, an independent watchdog that is tracking emissions based on new kinds of satellite data, together with artificial intelligence (AI). Its latest assessment, released today, shows that in 2021 Russia left out greenhouse gases equivalent to 1.5 billion tons of CO2 and the United States missed 400 million tons, much of it driven by CO2 emissions from oil and gas operations. Overall that year, among wealthy nations required to report to the U.N., Climate Trace estimates 3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent gases went unreported—some 5% of total global emissions.
Other large polluters are not yet required to submit inventories. China last reported one in 2014, but Climate Trace estimates the country’s emissions have grown by 17% since then. The UAE, meanwhile, last estimated emissions of 225 million tons in 2019, but Climate Trace found at least 354 million tons for that year. “Why the difference?” asks Gavin McCormick, Climate Trace’s co-founder. “Unclear.”
Backed by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Climate Trace is a coalition of nonprofits and academics that made headlines 2 years ago with its first analysis of 72,000 of the world’s largest greenhouse gas sources. Its newest assessment looks at 352 million greenhouse gas sources. “It is really incredibly powerful,” Gore says. “This serves a purpose that is at the top of humanity’s priority list.”
[...]
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