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Google, NASA Bring New Monitoring Methods to Climate Change Debate

by Amar Toor on December 18, 2009 at 04:02 PM

While everyone's eyes have recently been on the global climate discussions in Copenhagen, the two most recognizable names from the Space Age and Cyberspace Age have quietly been developing their own methods to monitor the Earth's thermostat.

As DiscoveryNews reports, both NASA and Google are unrolling projects that could significantly help track the ways Earth's climate evolves. Google's new Earth Engine program offers stacks of data on deforestation, a phenomena that many cite as the primary driver behind climate change. While Google patrols the forests, NASA will be manning the skies with a relaunch of its Orbiting Carbon Observatory satellite, the previous generation of which crashed into the ocean back in February. Until now, most satellite maps of carbon outputs relied on guesswork and estimation -- as scientists haven't been able to keep up with the rapid upcropping of coal-powered plants and factories. The revamped satellite, though, would more precisely pinpoint where the majority of carbon emissions are originating, and have that data available in real time. The relaunch is still contingent upon White House approval, but, as presidential science adviser John Holdren says, "I'm optimistic."

Experts seem to think that these initial monitoring systems could offer a vast improvement over current means of tracking climate change. Which is good news. A neutral, quantitative instrument or set of tools with which people can accurately map the carbon output of the world may stop politicians and global leaders from finger-pointing and circuitous negotiating, and go directly to the numbers and stats for unbiased consultation. However, this project won't immediately pay dividends, since from everything we've heard, climate change takes a long time. So it may be a while before Google and NASA's efforts can be used as a part of an informal oversight body holding countries accountable to emissions limits. In the immediate and short term, though, it could at least give us a snapshot of where we are now, and an idea of where the most concentrated environmental focus should be placed. Now, of course, all we need is an agreement... [From: DiscoveryNews]

Tags: climate change, ClimateChange, google, greenhouse gases, GreenhouseGases, nasa, satellite, space, top

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