NEW YORK — Soon people will be able to use satellite technology and artificial intelligence to track dangerous soot pollution in their neighborhoods — and where it comes from — in a way similar to monitoring approaching storms, according to plans by a nonprofit coalition led by former Vice President Al Gore.
Gore, who founded Climate TRACE, which originally focused on monitoring methane sources, is expanding its technology to trace soot pollution for 2,500 cities around the globe. Soot, or particle pollution, is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide each year, including tens of thousands in the U.S., according to various studies and health reports.
Using a combination of 300 satellites and 30,000 ground sensors, the coalition aims to monitor over 137,000 sources of particle pollution, identifying 3,900 of them as notable “super emitters.” Currently, users can explore long-term trends, but Gore envisions a future where this data will be available in real-time, integrated into everyday weather applications much like allergy alerts.
“Before AI, it was difficult for people to see where this conventional air pollution was coming from,” said Gore. He believes that awareness empowers individuals, insisting that 'the truth shall set you free.' While soot is not directly a climate change culprit, it stems from the same fossil fuel combustion processes that impact global warming. For instance, Analysis of data from Climate TRACE indicated that 'Cancer Alley' in Louisiana ranks incredibly high in global warming emissions when viewed as a separate entity.
Leading cities with the highest soot exposure are Karachi, Pakistan, followed by Guangzhou, China, Seoul, New York City, and Dhaka, Bangladesh. This initiative serves as a critical step towards public health awareness and environmental accountability, providing communities insight into the factors affecting their air quality.
