Real-Time Satellite Data Tracks Record-Breaking Carbon Emissions from Widespread Wildfires
Real-time satellite data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), operated by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), has documented the extensive spread of wildfires across the globe in 2021. This data enabled scientists to monitor and estimate wildfire emissions almost instantaneously, along with their effect on air quality.
Wildfires worldwide this year produced an estimated 1,760 megatonnes (Mt) of carbon emissions, translating to approximately 6,450 Mt of carbon dioxide (CO2). CAMS reports that this figure is 148% higher than the CO2 emissions from fossil fuels in the European Union last year, which totaled 2,600 Mt.
