Climate Trace
Description
Climate TRACE is a global emissions tracking initiative and online platform that uses satellite observations, remote sensing, and other independent data—combined with AI and machine learning—to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from specific countries, sectors, and large facilities in near real time. It provides publicly accessible maps, dashboards, and downloadable data that let users see where emissions are coming from, how they change over time, and how reported inventories compare to independent estimates, supporting greater transparency and accountability in climate action.
Questions this resource can help answer
Which sectors and facilities are the largest greenhouse gas emitters in my country or region?
How have emissions from specific sectors (e.g., power, cement, oil & gas) changed over recent years?
Which individual plants or assets stand out as unusually high emitters compared to peers?
Are there major emission sources that appear larger than what official inventories or company reports suggest?
Where should policymakers, investors, or advocates prioritize efforts to cut emissions or scrutinize disclosures?
How do I use this resource?
To use Climate TRACE, go to the website and start with the map or dashboard view. Choose a year and then filter by country, sector (e.g., power, oil & gas, transport, agriculture), or asset type (e.g., power plants, steel mills). Zoom into the map and click on countries, regions, or individual facilities to see their estimated greenhouse gas emissions and trends. Use the side panels to switch sectors, compare years, and download data or CSVs for further analysis, then use these insights to check where emissions are concentrated and how they’re changing over time.
Pro tips
Begin at the country + sector level to see broad patterns, then drill down to facility?level assets.
Use year?to?year comparisons to spot growing or shrinking sources, not just the biggest current emitters.
When you click a facility, note both total emissions and intensity measures if available (e.g., per MWh).
Cross?check Climate TRACE data with national inventories or company disclosures to highlight discrepancies or under?reported sources.
Export data and pair it with local maps (GIS), policy zones, or EJ data for more actionable planning.
Resource information
Technical specifications
Climate TRACE estimates emissions by combining multiple independent data sources—especially satellite observations and other remote sensing—with activity data and advanced modeling. For each sector and asset type (e.g., power plants, oil and gas, ships, agriculture), partner organizations build models that translate observable signals (such as thermal signatures, flaring, ship movements, production activity, or land?cover change) into greenhouse gas emissions using engineering equations, emission factors, and machine?learning approaches. These sector?specific models are applied globally and updated over time, producing geolocated, time?stamped emission estimates that are then quality?checked, harmonized across partners, and aggregated into country?, sector?, and facility?level datasets published on the platform.
