Closing Gaps in Emissions Monitoring with Climate TRACE
Abstract
Global greenhouse gas emissions estimates are essential for monitoring and mitigation planning. Yet most datasets lack one or more characteristics that enhance their actionability, such as accuracy, global coverage, high spatial and temporal resolution, and frequent updates. To address these gaps, we present Climate TRACE (climatetrace.org), an open-access platform delivering global emissions estimates with enhanced detail, coverage, and timeliness. Climate TRACE synthesizes existing emissions data, prioritizing accuracy, coverage, and resolution, and fills gaps using sector-specific estimation approaches. The dataset is the first to provide globally comprehensive emissions estimates for individual sources (e.g., individual power plants) for all anthropogenic emitting sectors. The dataset spans January 1, 2021, to the present, with a two-month reporting lag and monthly updates. The open-access platform enables non-technical audiences to engage with detailed emissions datasets for most subnational governments worldwide. Climate TRACE supports data-driven climate action at scales where decisions are made, representing a major breakthrough for emissions accounting and mitigation.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2511.19277,
title = {Closing Gaps in Emissions Monitoring with Climate TRACE},
author = {Brittany V. Lancellotti and Jordan M. Malof and Aaron Davitt and Gavin McCormick and Shelby Anderson and Pol Carbó-Mestre and Gary Collins and Verity Crane and Zoheyr Doctor and George Ebri and Kevin Foster and Trey M. Gowdy and Michael Guzzardi and John Heal and Heather Hunter and David Kroodsma and Khandekar Mahammad Galib and Paul J. Markakis and Gavin McDonald and Daniel P. Moore and Eric D. Nguyen and Sabina Parvu and Michael Pekala and Christine D. Piatko and Amy Piscopo and Mark Powell and Krsna Raniga and Elizabeth P. Reilly and Michael Robinette and Ishan Saraswat and Patrick Sicurello and Isabella Söldner-Rembold and Raymond Song and Charlotte Underwood and Kyle Bradbury},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2511.19277},
year = {2025}
}