Download the Report on GHG Monitoring from Space
The GHG Monitoring from Space report titled, “GHG Monitoring from Space: A mapping of capabilities across public, private and hybrid satellite missions” is developed in collaboration with the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), Climate TRACE, and WGIC.
This GHG Monitoring from Space report maps the current and emerging capabilities of space-based monitoring of greenhouse gases (GHGs) worldwide. It also lays the groundwork for enhanced contributions to the Global Stocktake (GST) under the Paris Agreement.
Key policy messages emerging from the GHG Monitoring from Space report of relevance to the Geospatial, Earth Observation, and Climate sectors are:
- Satellite observations reduce uncertainty in GHG emission monitoring by providing data across a range of spatial, temporal, and spectral resolutions or scales;
- Government space agencies have the capability to collect national and global baseline data for all relevant GHGs in a sustained manner with measurement availability ranging into the 2040s;
- Private sector companies are speedily entering the market and bringing additional point-source emissions monitoring capabilities for specific GHGs;
- Hybrid models are increasingly emerging and leveraging respective strengths;
- Collaboration, innovation, and financing are key levers for GHG monitoring from space;
- Open data, open science, and open knowledge are essential to driving on-the-ground solutions; and
- New opportunities are arising for analyzing secondary remote sensing measurements with frontier IT technologies which call for transparency and capacity development.
Table of Contents of the GHG Monitoring from Space report

Citation:
GEO, ClimateTRACE, WGIC (2021). GHG Monitoring from Space: A mapping of capabilities across public, private, and hybrid satellite missions.
Authors:
Veronika Neumeier (GEO consultant), Sara Venturini (GEO Secretariat), Aaron Davitt (WattTime/Climate TRACE), Harsha Vardhan Madiraju (WGIC), and Barbara Ryan (WGIC).
Reviewers:
David Crisp (NASA), Manfredi Caltagirone (UNEP), Mark Dowell (EC JRC), Riley Duren (Carbon Mapper), Laurent Durieux (GEO Secretariat), George Dyke (Symbios Communications), Jeffrey Guido (Planet), Eider Ocerin Martínez (SATLANTIS), Joanna Post (UNFCCC Secretariat), Steven Ramage (GEO Secretariat), Jörg Schulz (EUMETSAT), Wenying Su (NASA), and Peter Weaver (Orbital Sidekick).
Acknowledgment of contributions:
Bluefield, Carbon Mapper, CEOS, ESA, GHGSat, ISISpace, JAXA, MethaneSAT, NASA, Orbital Sidekick, SATLANTIS, Scepter, UNEP.
Graphic Designer:
Ana Macau (GEO consultant).
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