Google joins a project to map global methane emissions from space
This article was authored by a 3rd party not related to PlanetVoters.com and any opinions or views expressed are not a reflection of PlanetVoters.com.
February 14, 2024
Google is joining a big initiative to track methane emissions from space.
Google announced a partnership with the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today to map methane pollution and oil and gas infrastructure from space.
Google and EDF hope to be able to pinpoint where much of those methane emissions are leaking from — which could perhaps help put a plug in those leaks. Next month, EDF plans to launch its MethaneSAT, a satellite that will track emissions of methane, an even more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Meanwhile, Google is using AI to map oil and gas infrastructure to create a global map of pollution sources.
Preventing methane pollution can have a large and immediate impact on climate change
“Infrastructure changes rapidly, and keeping a map like this up to date requires constant input. But this is something that we in our maps and geo organization, we’ve built up a lot of expertise,” Yael Maguire, vice president and general manager of Google’s Geo Sustainability team, said on a press call. “We think this information is incredibly valuable for energy companies, researchers, and the public sector to anticipate and mitigate methane emissions.”
While a lot of government and corporate commitments to tackle climate change focus on carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, methane is responsible for around 30 percent of global warming that has taken place so far. Methane is the primary component of so-called natural gas, and routinely leaks along supply chains from wells to pipelines to gas appliances. Landfills and livestock are also big sources of methane pollution.
To read the full article, click here:
https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/14/24071100/google-methane-satellite-ai-map-climate-change
