Governor Gavin Newsome | Official website
A methane-detecting satellite launched today by a philanthropic coalition lays the groundwork for additional satellites that could track upwards of 40% of global methane emissions.
VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE – California has fulfilled a promise made by former Governor Jerry Brown, as a philanthropically-backed coalition, including the state, launched its ‘own damn satellite’ to help track dangerous pollutants like methane. Addressing methane emissions is crucial in combating the climate crisis because methane is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide emissions for near-term warming of the planet.
Planet Labs successfully launched its Tanager-1 satellite today from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The satellite is designed to detect, pinpoint, and quantify super-emitters at a level of granularity needed to support direct mitigation action.
The launch was facilitated by the Carbon Mapper Coalition, a philanthropically-backed partnership dedicated to filling gaps in the emerging ecosystem of methane and CO2 monitoring systems. The coalition is led by Carbon Mapper, Inc., a nonprofit organization, and includes Planet Labs PBC, NASA JPL, RMI, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Arizona State University and others. It has received philanthropic support from High Tide Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Grantham Foundation.
Separate from this launch, as part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s California Climate Commitment budget, California has made a $100 million state investment in using satellite methane data. This data could help track upwards of 40% of global methane emissions.
California’s collaboration in this effort was initially launched by former Governor Brown in 2018. At the time, Governor Brown said: “We’re going to launch our own damn satellite to figure out where the pollution is and how we’re going to end it.”
“With today’s satellite launch,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “California will track harmful pollution and hold polluters accountable. We couldn’t have done this without our cutting-edge public-private partnership backed by philanthropy. And this is just the beginning – we have more satellites going up in the coming years that will provide real-time methane detection and enforcement.”
This new satellite provides California with an advanced tool to help reduce emissions of methane quickly. The data collected will offer precise measurements of methane source-level emissions along with over 25 other environmental indicators.
Satellite methane data will be critical for California regulators to hold polluters accountable while also providing transparent and timely access to data on leaks globally. The state plans to notify polluters in California and take enforcement action if leaks are not promptly addressed.
Last year, California introduced a new pledge urging governments worldwide to commit to reducing global methane emissions significantly. This pledge targets subnational governments like California and builds on the Global Methane Hub’s Global Methane Pledge focused on countries.
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