NASA Maps Carbon Emissions and Tree Coverage in Africa and Worldwide

A pilot project using NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission has estimated carbon dioxide emissions and removals for more than 100 countries around the world. The study, published in Earth System Science Data, used a measurement-based approach to infer the balance of how much carbon dioxide was emitted and removed. The findings offer a new perspective on carbon dioxide emissions and removals, particularly for nations that lack traditional resources for inventory development. The study provides a new perspective by tracking both fossil fuel emissions and the total carbon “stock” changes in ecosystems, including trees, shrubs, and soils.