About
Climate TRACE is a groundbreaking open data initiative that delivers independent, AI-powered greenhouse gas emissions tracking at unprecedented scale and granularity. By harnessing satellite imagery, remote sensing technologies, and machine learning, the platform monitors 744,678,997 individual emitting assets — from power plants and factories to agricultural operations and transportation networks — aggregated across cities, states, and countries worldwide. The platform covers more than 10 years of historical data (2015–2025), with monthly resolution available from 2021 onward. It tracks three major greenhouse gases and eight non-GHG air pollutants, offering a comprehensive view of global emissions across 67 sub-sectors. Users can visualize pollution plumes, trace their movement into communities, and assess the real-world impact of industrial activities. Beyond monitoring, Climate TRACE includes an emissions reduction estimator that models the impact of specific climate actions for every tracked source on the planet — empowering policymakers, researchers, businesses, and NGOs to make data-driven decisions toward net-zero goals. All data is freely accessible to the public, making it a critical resource for climate accountability and action. The platform is built and maintained by a global coalition including Google.org, Al Gore's Climate Reality Project, and more than 100 academic and scientific institutions.
Key Features
- 745 Million Emissions Sources: Tracks individual assets at global scale — power plants, farms, factories, and more — aggregatable by city, state, country, or sector.
- AI & Satellite-Powered Monitoring: Uses machine learning, satellite imagery, and remote sensing to independently verify emissions data without relying on self-reported figures.
- 10+ Years of Historical Data: Covers emissions from 2015 through 2025, with monthly resolution available from 2021, enabling longitudinal trend analysis.
- Emissions Reduction Estimator: Models the impact of specific, actionable climate interventions for every tracked source, helping stakeholders plan and prioritize reductions.
- Multi-Pollutant Tracking: Monitors 3 greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O) and 8 non-GHG air pollutants, including pollution plume visualization and community impact tracing.
Use Cases
- Government agencies and policymakers using country- and sector-level emissions data to set science-based climate targets and track progress toward net-zero commitments.
- Corporate sustainability teams verifying supply chain emissions and benchmarking their facilities against industry peers using independent, satellite-derived data.
- Climate researchers and academics analyzing 10+ years of multi-sector emissions trends to study the drivers and trajectories of global warming.
- Journalists and NGOs holding high-emission industries and governments accountable by cross-referencing self-reported figures with independently tracked emissions.
- Urban planners and municipal governments identifying the largest local emissions sources and modeling the impact of city-level climate interventions.
Pros
- Completely Free and Open Data: All emissions data is freely available to the public, lowering barriers for researchers, journalists, governments, and NGOs.
- Unmatched Granularity: Individual asset-level tracking across 744M+ sources is far more detailed than traditional country-level or sector-level estimates.
- Independent Verification: Data is derived from satellite and remote sensing — not self-reporting — providing a credible, third-party check on emissions claims.
- Actionable Reduction Modeling: Goes beyond tracking by quantifying the emissions impact of specific interventions, supporting practical climate planning.
Cons
- High Data Complexity: The sheer volume and technical depth of the data can be overwhelming for non-expert users without a data science background.
- Not a Direct Action Platform: Climate TRACE provides data and modeling but does not facilitate direct emissions reporting, compliance workflows, or carbon credit management.
- Monthly Data Lag: Monthly resolution data is only available from 2021 onward, and the most recent data reflects a slight processing delay rather than real-time emissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Climate TRACE and who built it?
Climate TRACE is a not-for-profit coalition of over 100 universities, scientists, and AI experts — including partners like Google.org and Al Gore's Climate Reality Project — that independently tracks global greenhouse gas emissions using satellites and AI.
Is Climate TRACE data free to access?
Yes. All data on the Climate TRACE platform is freely available to the public. Users can explore emissions by source, sector, country, and more without any cost or registration requirement.
How does Climate TRACE collect its emissions data?
Climate TRACE uses satellites, remote sensing instruments, and machine learning algorithms to observe and estimate emissions from individual assets worldwide, rather than relying on self-reported data from governments or companies.
What sectors and pollutants does Climate TRACE cover?
The platform covers 10 major industrial sectors broken into 67 sub-sectors. It tracks 3 greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O) and 8 non-GHG air pollutants, including visualizations of pollution plumes.
Can Climate TRACE help estimate the impact of specific climate actions?
Yes. Climate TRACE includes an emissions reduction estimator that models the greenhouse gas reduction impact of specific, possible climate actions for every tracked source on the planet, helping policymakers and organizations set and meet reduction targets.
