Empa-developed technology enables new European satellites to map greenhouse gas emissions with unprecedented precision

The new CO2M satellites will provide the EU with an independent data basis for reviewing climate policy and demonstrating progress in the decarbonization of Europe. Image: ESA

(IN BRIEF) Empa researchers have developed advanced emission-mapping technologies that will power the EU’s upcoming CO2M satellite mission, enabling detailed monitoring of greenhouse gases and air pollutants from space. Launching in 2027, the mission will use three satellites equipped with sensors for both CO₂ and NO₂, allowing scientists to distinguish man-made emissions from natural ones. The Empa team’s simulations were instrumental in expanding the mission, which will now capture high-resolution, two-kilometer images every 3.5 days. Their work has already proven reliable through analysis of Sentinel-5P data and is being used to refine global emission inventories through the CORSO project. The new satellites, operated by ESA and EUMETSAT, will give Europe an independent tool to measure climate progress and verify emission reduction efforts worldwide.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜBENDORF, 3-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Empa researchers, in collaboration with international partners, have developed groundbreaking methods and technologies that will allow future European satellites to deliver detailed emission maps of greenhouse gases and air pollutants — down to the level of individual power plants and industrial facilities. These advancements form a cornerstone of the upcoming CO2M (Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring) mission, part of the EU’s Copernicus Earth Observation Programme, which will monitor human-generated CO₂ and methane emissions across the planet.

Launching in 2027, the CO2M mission was originally set to include two satellites, but computer simulations conducted by Empa’s Air Pollutants and Environmental Technology Laboratory convinced the European Commission to fund a third. This expansion will improve global observation frequency from every five days to just 3.5 days, significantly enhancing monitoring accuracy and coverage. The new satellites will capture comprehensive greenhouse gas images at a spatial resolution of two kilometers, a major improvement over the narrow data bands provided by earlier satellites. This resolution will make it possible to distinguish emissions at the scale of countries, cities, or individual industrial sites.

Empa’s research proved pivotal in shaping the satellites’ capabilities. Their simulations demonstrated the importance of including nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) measurements alongside CO₂. This dual detection approach enables scientists to differentiate between anthropogenic emissions — such as those from burning coal, oil, or gas — and natural CO₂ sources from the biosphere. “Satellites measure greenhouse gas concentrations, but only through complex dispersion modeling can we calculate emissions accurately,” explained Gerrit Kuhlmann from Empa. “By combining CO₂ and NO₂ data, we can pinpoint human activity and verify emission sources with far greater confidence.”

Empa researchers are already applying these analytical models to data from existing satellites such as Sentinel-5P. Using the TROPOMI instrument, the team successfully identified nitrogen oxide emissions from U.S. power plants, validating their models by comparing satellite-based estimates with reported emissions data. This consistency underscores the reliability of satellite-based emission quantification at fine spatial scales.

Through the European CORSO project, Empa and its partners are building a global dataset of major emitters, including coal, gas, and oil power plants, cement factories, and steel facilities. Early results show that many existing emission inventories are incomplete or inaccurate — with some facilities missing, misclassified, or incorrectly recorded in terms of fuel usage. “We discovered that in many dual-fuel plants, gas is primarily used, resulting in much lower nitrogen oxide emissions than previously assumed,” said Kuhlmann.

The technologies and methodologies developed at Empa are now being extended to monitor CO₂ emissions with similar precision. Once operational, the CO2M satellites — developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and operated by EUMETSAT — will provide the EU with an independent and transparent data source for verifying climate progress and supporting decarbonization efforts. As Kuhlmann noted, “We are moving toward a future where satellite observations will allow us to continuously and accurately track the world’s largest greenhouse gas sources. This new view from space will show whether we are truly making progress in mitigating climate change.”

Further information

PD Dr. Gerrit Kuhlmann
Air Pollution / Environmental Technology
Phone +41 58 765 47 53
gerrit.kuhlmann@empa.ch

Editor / Media Contact

Manuel Martin
Communications
Phone +41 58 765 44 54
redaktion@empa.ch

SOURCE: EMPA