Climate TRACE

Level 28: Climate, Environment & Agriculture

Health & Environment · Level 28

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In short

Climate TRACE is an AI tool in the Climate & Agriculture category from Climate TRACE Coalition / WattTime in Oakland, United States. The pricing model is free. It is with an English interface that handles German content.

Company HQOakland, United States· Climate TRACE Coalition / WattTime

What is Climate TRACE?

Climate TRACE (Tracking Real-Time Atmospheric Carbon Emissions) is an independent data project that leverages AI and satellite imagery to monitor greenhouse gas emissions globally. The platform integrates a wide array of data sources, including multispectral satellite imagery, ground-based sensor measurements, and AI-driven modeling to build comprehensive sector-wide emission inventories. The project aims to provide a transparent and timely view of global climate impact that goes beyond traditional, often delayed, national reporting.

The technological foundation is a vast coalition of academic institutions, NGOs, and technology companies working together to facilitate sectoral breakdowns of emissions. The system analyzes activity across sectors such as power generation, industrial production, agriculture, and transportation. By employing machine learning, the project can identify and quantify previously hard-to-track emission sources, providing critical insights for policymakers and climate scientists alike.

All data is freely accessible to the public and can be retrieved via an interactive web map or an API. Users can filter emissions across various geographic scales, from global trends down to specific industrial facilities. The project follows an open-science approach, aiming to support well-founded climate policy decisions at global, national, and local levels through maximum transparency.

Core features & strengths

  • Cross-sectoral emission tracking — The system monitors emissions across a wide range of industrial sectors, including fossil fuels, land-use changes, and waste management. This allows for a holistic analysis of human-made climate impact.
  • AI-powered satellite analysis — Through automated analysis of satellite imagery, the system identifies large-scale emission sources even where on-site sensors are missing. This provides global coverage without regional dependence.
  • API for research and data analytics — Developers and researchers can seamlessly integrate the provided data into their own analysis tools and models. The API provides a structured environment for fetching specific datasets.

Who is this tool for?

The tool is primarily aimed at climate scientists, NGOs, policymakers, and data journalists. Companies looking to assess the carbon footprint of their supply chains also benefit from the data.

Typical use case

An urban development analyst uses the data to compare the CO2 intensity of different industrial zones in a region to assess the effectiveness of local decarbonization measures. By querying the API, the user can visualize historical emission trends of individual facilities. This helps in identifying emission 'hotspots' and preparing targeted regulatory interventions. The platform thus serves as a foundation for evidence-based climate protection planning.

What is Climate TRACE good for?

  • The tool is primarily aimed at climate scientists, NGOs, policymakers, and data journalists. Companies looking to assess the carbon footprint of their supply chains also benefit from the data.
  • An urban development analyst uses the data to compare the CO2 intensity of different industrial zones in a region to assess the effectiveness of local decarbonization measures.
  • Cross-sectoral emission tracking: The system monitors emissions across a wide range of industrial sectors, including fossil fuels, land-use changes, and waste management. This allows for a holistic analysis of human-made climate impact.
  • AI-powered satellite analysis: Through automated analysis of satellite imagery, the system identifies large-scale emission sources even where on-site sensors are missing. This provides global coverage without regional dependence.
  • API for research and data analytics: Developers and researchers can seamlessly integrate the provided data into their own analysis tools and models. The API provides a structured environment for fetching specific datasets.

When a different tool fits better

Climate TRACE is not intended for monitoring private households or highly granular, non-industrial CO2 sources. It should also not be considered a substitute for certified, site-specific emission measurements for regulatory compliance purposes.

Pricing & plans

Climate TRACE is a completely free open data project.Free

Supported languages

DEGerman — content yes, interface in EnglishENEnglish — fully supported

The website interface is in English, but data and reports are globally accessible.

Interface = the tool's menu language, content = the language you can work in. Without guarantee — vendors keep expanding their language coverage.

Privacy & GDPR

Non-profit coalition (Al Gore, WattTime, TransitionZero). Open data under CC-BY license.

Fact sheet

Fact sheet with the key data
VendorClimate TRACE Coalition / WattTime
HeadquartersOakland, United States
CategoryClimate & Agriculture
Pyramid levelLevel 28 – Climate, Environment & Agriculture
Pricing modelFree
Free forever optionYes
Open SourceNo
Entry planPublic Access: 0 $ (0 €)
Germancontent only, English interface
Englishinterface and content
Privacy classificationUnclear
Data processing agreementThere are no enterprise tiers or requirements for DPA/GDPR data processing agreements, as no personal data is processed.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does Climate TRACE cost?

Climate TRACE is a completely free open data project. Current plans: Public Access: 0 $ (0 €).

Is Climate TRACE free?

Yes. Climate TRACE can be used without paying. No fees or hidden costs. Data is provided under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Does Climate TRACE support German?

Partly. Climate TRACE handles German content reliably, but the interface is English. The website interface is in English, but data and reports are globally accessible.

How does Climate TRACE handle data privacy?

The platform does not process user inputs; it provides publicly available climate data, with server infrastructure primarily located in the USA. As it is a public data platform, no user inputs are collected for AI model training in the context of chatbots. Use is safe as there is no requirement to enter sensitive information.

Who is behind Climate TRACE?

Climate TRACE is operated by Climate TRACE Coalition / WattTime, headquartered in Oakland, United States.

Where does Climate TRACE sit in the AI Tool Pyramid?

Climate TRACE sits on level 28 (“Climate, Environment & Agriculture”) and belongs to the Climate & Agriculture category. Levels group tools by topic and are not a ranking.

Is Climate TRACE GDPR-compliant?

Climate TRACE does not publicly document its data processing clearly. Before using it for personal or confidential data, review the vendor's privacy policy and data processing agreement yourself.

What are alternatives to Climate TRACE?

Comparable tools in the same category are Blue River See & Spray, Cervest / Mitiga Solutions, ClimateAi, ClimateBERT. They differ mainly in pricing model, company location and data protection level, so a direct comparison is worthwhile before deciding.