Justin Rowlatt, BBC Climate Editor, reports on the launch of a methane-tracking satellite by the Environmental Defense Fund, carried aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Key insights:
The satellite orbits Earth 15 times daily, detecting methane leaks from oil and gas infrastructure using light reflected from the planet’s surface, with Google AI helping trace plumes back to their source.
Methane is 80 times more potent than CO₂ as a warming gas but lingers only ~12 years in the atmosphere, meaning faster emission cuts could slow climate change more quickly.
Methane accounts for roughly a third of all climate change since the Industrial Revolution, with oil and gas operations being a major fixable source.
All data will be publicly available, enabling both companies to self-identify leaks — often profitably — and regulators to hold persistent polluters accountable.