Visualization of Earth’s atmospheric carbon dioxide in 2021, Courtesy of NASA
The newly launched U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center by NASA, presented at COP28, provides an open-source platform for the analysis and management of greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative is a step forward in collaborative climate change mitigation.
On December 4, at the 28th United Nations Climate Conference (COP28), key figures such as NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and EPA Administrator Michael Regan, along with other U.S. leaders, introduced the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center.
The Role of NASA and Its Partners
Bill Nelson emphasized the critical role of NASA’s data in driving on-ground changes for climate protection. He highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to democratizing access to vital data. This data spans across various stakeholders including scientists, policymakers, and the general public, linking space-derived insights to local community benefits.
Objectives and Resources of the Center
Functioning as a collaborative nucleus, the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center integrates efforts of various U.S. agencies, non-profits, and private entities. It offers a rich repository of data, insights, and computational models derived from the International Space Station, satellite missions, airborne surveys, and ground-based observations, all accessible online.
NASA, in collaboration with the EPA, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, spearheads the center. These agencies have collectively developed a comprehensive catalog of greenhouse gas data and analytical tools.
Argyro Kavvada, the center’s program manager at NASA Headquarters, expressed the center’s aim to expedite the collaborative use of Earth science data in monitoring and managing greenhouse gas emissions.
The center’s data catalog is an extensive collection, shedding light on greenhouse gas emissions, their sources, sinks, and fluxes. It focuses on three primary areas:
- Human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
- Natural greenhouse gas sources and sinks on land and in oceans.
- Identification and quantification of significant methane emission events, using aircraft and satellite data.
Open Source Framework and User Engagement
An illustrative example of the center’s datasets is the methane gas data from NASA’s EMIT mission on the International Space Station. EMIT, an imaging spectrometer, is capable of detecting methane emissions on Earth through its light measurement capabilities in visible and infrared wavelengths.
Built on the principles of open-source, the center’s datasets, algorithms, and codes are freely available for public testing and application. It also offers user support and an advanced analysis hub, featuring computational resources and a visual interface for interactive data storytelling. NASA invites user feedback and suggestions for the center’s ongoing development. This initiative is part of a larger strategy outlined in the National Strategy to Advance an Integrated U.S. Greenhouse Gas Measurement, Monitoring, and Information System, aiming to enhance greenhouse gas data accessibility.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about NASA Greenhouse Gas Center
What is the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center?
The U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center, launched by NASA at COP28, is a hub providing open-source data and tools for analyzing and managing greenhouse gas emissions. It aims to foster collaboration in climate change efforts by making critical climate data accessible to scientists, policymakers, and the public.
Who are the key contributors to the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center?
NASA, in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Institute of Standards and Technology, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have jointly developed the center. These agencies contribute expertise and data to the center’s comprehensive catalog of greenhouse gas datasets and analysis tools.
What are the main goals of the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center?
The center’s primary objectives are to serve as a collaborative platform for U.S. agencies, non-profits, and private sector entities, and to provide an extensive collection of data on greenhouse gas sources, emissions, and fluxes. It focuses on human-induced emissions, natural sources and sinks, and significant methane emission events.
How does the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center support open-source collaboration?
The center’s datasets, algorithms, and supporting code are fully open-sourced, allowing anyone to test and use the data. It also includes user support and an analysis hub for advanced data analysis, featuring an interactive visual interface for storytelling. NASA encourages community feedback and ideas for the center’s development.
More about NASA Greenhouse Gas Center
- NASA’s Official Website
- COP28 Conference Overview
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- National Institute of Standards and Technology
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems
- National Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Monitoring
5 comments
Heard about the U.S Greenhouse Gas Center at COP28, it’s a big deal for climate data collaboration. But, how soon till we see real world applications from this? The clock’s ticking on climate change.
this is huge, a game changer for climate change efforts. NASA’s always been at the forefront, but collaborating at this level? That’s next level.
I’m curious about how open source this data will be. like, can anyone just access it? And how user friendly will it be for non-experts.?
Just read about this NASA led center for climate data, pretty impressive stuff. But, how will it really impact our day-to-day lives? I mean, it’s great for scientists but what about us regular folks?
Wow, NASA’s really stepping up with this greenhouse gas center thing. So cool to see them teaming up with other agencies like EPA and all.