GHG Monitoring from Space – Leveraging Commercial Capabilities with Barbara Ryan, Executive Director of WGIC

"GHG Monitoring from Space: A mapping of capabilities across public, private and hybrid missions" was a collaborative effort undertaken by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), WattTime, and the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC).

This report, presented at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Earth Information Day at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26), was the first systematic mapping of global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) capabilities from space. The mapping includes public, private, and hybrid missions, illustrating existing and planned monitoring of GHGs from space.

Several key messages emerged from the report. Firstly, no single country, organization, or sector can, alone, adequately address the challenges of the Earth's changing climate. We must work together in a coordinated manner to mitigate the effects of climate change. Secondly, public-sector space agencies have made tremendous strides in observing GHGs from space over the last several decades. We are now seeing the private sector bring additional observational capabilities to bear, and the emergence of hybrid missions evolving from public-private partnerships and philanthropies -- all of which need to be communicated, endorsed, and expanded if we as a global community are to advance climate action.

This presentation at GeoIgnite 2022 by Barbara Ryan, Executive Director, WGIC, provides insights into the report and details on how the commercial sector is stepping up to monitor GHGs from space.