A global AI and satellite system tracks soot pollution in 2,500 cities, exposing major emitters and aiding public health efforts.

A satellite and AI system led by former Vice President Al Gore is tracking soot pollution in 2,500 cities worldwide, using 300 satellites and 30,000 ground sensors to monitor over 137,000 pollution sources, including 3,937 super emitters. The initiative, part of Climate TRACE, provides real-time, neighborhood-level air quality data, aiming to update daily and eventually integrate into weather and allergy forecasts. Soot, linked to fossil fuel combustion, causes millions of premature deaths annually and is especially severe in cities like Karachi, Guangzhou, Seoul, New York, and Dhaka. Though not a direct climate driver, soot shares fossil fuel origins with greenhouse gases. The project aims to increase transparency, empowering communities with data to take informed action on public health and environmental justice.