(Brussels, Belgium) January 29, 2025 – GHGSAT, the global leader in satellite emissions monitoring, has been designated as a Copernicus Contributing Mission (CCM) by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission. The ESA Earth Observation Directorate is the entrusted entity for managing all aspects related to the CCM program. Through the program, data on methane emissions from GHGSAT’s pioneering satellite constellation will support the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) in its mission to provide consistent and accurate information related to air pollution and greenhouse gases globally. CAMS is implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on behalf of the European Commission.
Under the partnership, CAMS will utilize GHGSAT’s high-resolution data, capable of tracing methane emissions directly to individual industrial facilities, alongside TROPOMI data from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, in a “tip and cue” approach. While TROPOMI excels at detecting large-scale emissions over broad areas, GHGSAT’s satellites will provide detailed follow-up measurements to pinpoint the exact sources of methane. This complementary approach will allow unprecedented insights into emission patterns and sources at a global scale.
“This collaboration brings the unique capabilities of both satellite constellations to bear for the benefit of Earth,” said Stephane Germain, CEO of GHGSAT. “By combining the global reach of TROPOMI with the zoomed-in capability of GHGSAT’s constellation, climate science researchers can better understand the prevalence of methane around the world and assess the implications for Europe.”
“After many years of supporting the European Space Agency with high-resolution methane emissions data through the Third Party Mission program, providing invaluable insights to the research community and enabling the understanding of anthropogenic methane emissions, GHGSAT is proud to take a step further and contribute operationally to the Copernicus program as a CCM,” said Carles Debart, Director of Business Development – Europe at GHGSAT. “Through both programs, ESA has demonstrated leadership in harnessing commercial earth observation data for the benefit of all.”
Richard Engelen, Deputy Director of CAMS, also highlighted the significance of the partnership: “The inclusion of GHGSAT’s data in our monitoring systems is a major step forward for CAMS. Precise, facility-level data on methane emissions will complement our existing capabilities, allowing us to better understand and mitigate the impact of greenhouse gases on the atmosphere. This is a perfect example of the ability of Copernicus Contributing Missions to augment the power of Sentinel data.”
Copernicus provides access to its Sentinel data and the Copernicus services information products on a full, free, and open basis. The Copernicus Contributing Missions deliver complementary data to ensure that a whole range of observational requirements is satisfied. As commercial companies increasingly play an important role in pioneering new technologies and creating a dynamic and innovative space industry, emerging European new space companies have joined Copernicus as Contributing Missions, helping to keep Copernicus on the cutting edge in the rapidly changing sector of earth observation.
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Media Contact: Alison Boyer, GHGSAT, [email protected]
Institutional Contact: Carles Debart, GHGSAT, [email protected]
About GHGSAT: GHGSat uses its own satellites and aircraft sensors to measure greenhouse gas emissions directly from industrial sites, providing actionable insights to businesses, governments, and regulators. With proprietary remote-sensing and patented technology, GHGSat enables strategic decision-making through monitoring and analytics services, with better accuracy, more frequently, and at a fraction of the cost of other technologies. GHGSat’s mission is to become the global reference for remote sensing of greenhouse gas (GHG), air quality gas, and other trace gas emissions from any source in the world.
About CAMS: The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) is one of six services that form Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation programme which looks at our planet and its environment for the ultimate benefit of all European citizens. Copernicus offers information services based on satellite Earth observation, in situ (non-satellite) data and modelling.
CAMS is implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on behalf of the European Commission. ECMWF is an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by 35 states. It is both a research institute and a 24/7 operational service, producing and disseminating numerical weather predictions to its member states.
About ESA: The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space. ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. ESA has 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia are Associate Members. ESA has established formal cooperation with four Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.
By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions. Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int
