Visualizing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Satellite Data
Partnership Formed Between Four Companies to Facilitate the Project
A partnership has been formed between four companies to visualize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and absorption using satellite data. With this initiative, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Satellite Data Service Corporation, and GHGSat aim to realize a service that provides companies and local governments with information analyzed from satellite data on global greenhouse gas emissions, enabling monitoring and analysis of emission trends and specific observation points.
“This groundbreaking initiative, combining the big-picture views from GOSAT with the ability of GHGSat’s constellation to zoom in to the facility level, unlocks a new understanding of industrial environmental footprints across the financial sector."
Stephane Germain, CEO of GHGSat
Some scientists say that greenhouse gas emissions are a primary cause of global warming and a major factor exacerbating climate change. At COP28, held in 2023, the first decision on the Global Stocktake to evaluate global progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement was adopted, increasing the necessity for industry and government to have a clear understanding of their greenhouse gas emissions.
Since then, international efforts to reduce greenhouse gases have accelerated, creating requirements for countries to undertake proactive measures and specific actions to decarbonize their activities, such as energy transition planning, development of new sources of renewable energy, and energy efficiency improvements.
However, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions face various challenges, including balancing economic viability. In particular, the industrial sector requires long-term planning for the transition to low-carbon technologies and the spread of renewable energy. These corporate activities demand objective, neutral, and traceable data. Additionally, as the importance of sustainability initiatives grows, transparent satellite data holds significant potential to support cross-stakeholder dialogue.
Under this partnership, the four companies aim to provide a service that visualizes greenhouse gas emissions using satellite data for users such as businesses and local governments working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They will advance discussions on the collaboration framework and service content.
This solution aims to achieve comprehensive greenhouse gas visualization by integrating wide-area observation data from the GOSAT series with precise, facility-level observation data of emission sources from GHGSat's constellation. The service plans to implement functions for monitoring emissions and absorption from routine business operations, with rapid alerts of any detected incidents, such as gas leaks from pipelines, drawing on GHGSat’s ability to provide daily coverage. Companies using this service will be able to understand the environmental impact of their corporate activities, set specific and effective goals for GHG reduction, and track progress clearly, thereby bolstering their sustainability efforts and ability to meet ambitious climate targets.
“This groundbreaking initiative, combining the big-picture views from GOSAT with the ability of GHGSat’s constellation to zoom in to the facility level, unlocks a new understanding of industrial environmental footprints across the financial sector. These insights are fundamental to reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Stephane Germain, CEO of GHGSat. “Climate change is a global challenge that requires global collaboration, and GHGSat is honored to contribute.”
This service, targeting environmentally conscious companies, will be a significant step forward for climate change countermeasures, supporting businesses to achieve corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development goals (SDGs). This service aims to contribute to reducing environmental impacts and promoting environmental awareness and reforms across the industry.