NEW YORK (RTWNews) — A pioneering initiative led by former Vice President Al Gore is set to empower communities by utilizing satellite technology and artificial intelligence to monitor harmful soot pollution in neighborhoods. This ambitious project aims to provide detailed visibility on pollution sources across 2,500 cities worldwide, helping to mitigate health risks associated with air quality.
Gore, who founded the Climate TRACE initiative that monitors methane emissions via satellite, announced the expansion of this program on Wednesday. Now, the initiative will track minute particles known as soot, which are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths annually.
Employing a vast network of 300 satellites and 30,000 ground sensors, the initiative can identify over 137,095 sources of particle pollution. Among these, 3,937 are classified as 'super emitters' due to the volume of emissions. With aspirations to provide this data on a daily basis, Gore envisions integrating pollution tracking into common weather applications, similar to allergy forecasts.
“The truth of where pollutants come from gives people the power to advocate for a cleaner environment in their neighborhoods,” Gore explained, articulating his belief that knowledge is key to empowering communities. Unlike greenhouse gases, soot pollution doesn't contribute to climate warming directly but arises from the same combustive processes associated with fossil fuel usage.
For cities like Karachi, Pakistan, and Guangzhou, China, exposure to soot pollution remains alarmingly high. Gore's analyses underline the urgent need for transparency in pollution sources, impacting public health on a global scale.
This technological advancement serves to not only illuminate the locations of harmful emissions but also the individuals or industries responsible for them. Empowering communities with this data could lead to significant improvements in air quality and public health.
