Public data registries for climate action

Climate TRACE is a free and open global database of the emissions from over 745 million locations covering every country in the world. Data is independently calculated using satellite data, remote sensing, and machine learning, and is released on a monthly basis with over 10 years of history. It is used by governments, investment funds, corporates, banks, insurers, even the United Nations to understand what the emissions are at any location, city, municipality, region, or country. The data breaks down into a range of different gases from greenhouse gases to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), and gives information on warming potential as well as health risks. The Climate TRACE website presents three major tools, the global emissions map where you can find any major source of emissions; the plumes map where you can see a visualisation of where emitted PM2.5 pollution lands under different conditions and therefore who is most effected; and an emissions reduction strategiser that shows for any country, city, or even facility, what actions will reduce the most emissions. If you need more granular insights, you can download the entire global dataset for every sector and analyse it offline. There is no longer any excuse for inaction, no claims of ignorance, we can see where emissions come from and we know how to reduce them. There is nowhere to hide. Every boardroom, every investment committee, every underwriter, every government should be using Climate TRACE at every meeting to understand what actions to take and what effect those actions have had to course correct as needed. With the UK's own intelligence report on the impacts of climate change highlighting that there is a fair chance that Britain will not be able to feed its population under the expected conditions of 2°C warming, it is past time to act.

I have come across news about Verra approving its first digitally verified carbon credits under a Digital MRV pilot, and it signals something far more structural than faster credit issuance. This is not merely a technology update. It is the quiet digitisation of carbon market infrastructure. Digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (DMRV) allows project data to be transmitted, validated and issued through fully digital systems. That shifts carbon credits from periodic, paper-based verification cycles to near real-time, traceable climate performance data. For the African continent, if carbon markets are becoming digital by design, African countries must therefore not position themselves as just passive users of external platforms. We must integrate digital MRV into national carbon registries, Article 6 frameworks, and sovereign climate finance systems from the outset. We’ve seen this operationalized: Comoros piloted high-frequency issuance for solar projects, and the COMESA ASCENT program is currently testing digital architecture across the continent. Some may argue that Africa already has digital carbon registries. That is true. But a digital registry records and tracks issued credits to prevent double counting. A digital MRV system goes deeper; it digitises how emissions data is captured, transmitted, validated and verified before credits are even issued. One is a ledger. The other is performance infrastructure. I would also say this is ESG data 2.0. Automated reporting, remote verification, reduced lag times and stronger traceability are not just operational upgrades; they are the architecture of trust in climate markets. Institutional investors and corporate buyers will increasingly demand digital integrity, interoperability and auditable data flows. The question is whether Africa should build digital carbon infrastructure early or retrofit governance later. My view is retrofitting is always more expensive than building the foundation right the first time. Are we investing enough in the "digital plumbing" of our markets, or is the focus still too much on the credits themselves? #CarbonMarkets #DigitalMRV #ClimateFinance #ESGData #Article6 #SustainableFinance

🛑BREAKING: Brazil Calls for a Global Public Digital Infrastructure to Speed Up Climate Action🛑 💠At the request of COP30 President, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, the Instituto de Tecnologia e Sociedade (ITS Rio) and Ronaldo Lemos formulated Brazil's call for a Global Public Digital Infrastructure for Climate (Climate DPI), a proposal that positions data, finance, and intelligence as the missing layer of the Paris Agreement’s implementation. 💠The green transition lacks a shared digital backbone. Climate action today is fragmented across nations, funds, and data silos. Climate DPI aims to correct this by functioning as an “operating system for climate action”, where digital identity, interoperable payments, and open environmental data converge into a single ecosystem. 💠Its architecture, ClimateStack, links five layers: 🟢 Identity - unique digital records for individuals, organizations, and climate assets. 🟢 Finance - smart contracts enabling transparent flows, compensation, and carbon credits. 🟢 Open data - integration of satellite and sensor networks (GEOSS, Copernicus, INPE/PRODES). 🟢 Applications - public digital services for deforestation alerts, risk forecasting, and climate markets. 🟢 Access - multi-interface delivery (web, SMS, radio) to ensure inclusion. 💠By connecting existing but isolated technologies, the project envisions real-time emissions tracking, faster disaster response (up to 40%), and universal climate alerts by 2035. 💠Strategically, Brazil frames Climate DPI as COP30’s digital legacy, a move that links digital public goods and climate governance. A project that can redefine how the world measures, finances, and enforces its climate commitments. 🔗 Read the full proposal on the official COP30 website. https://lnkd.in/dTUXJFw6

🚀 25 years in the making—#OpenCEDA is live! When I released the very first version of the Comprehensive Environmental Data Archive (CEDA) back in 2000 as a PhD student at Leiden, I imagined a world where rigorous, transparent Scope 3 data would be available to anyone tackling climate change. Today that vision becomes reality. CEDA is now free and open to the public at openceda.org—unlocking >95 % of global GDP/GHG coverage, 400 industry sectors across 148 countries and regions, and tens of thousands of up-to-date emissions factors, refreshed annually. This milestone is the work of an incredible community. Deep gratitude to Mo Li, Ph.D., Cheng Lin, Yohanna Maldonado, Michael Steffen, Jake Feintzeig, Jonathan Gidden, Gizem Ilayda Dinç Liston Witherill, Christian Anderson—and every researcher, practitioner, and customer who has shaped CEDA since its 2000 debut. Whether you’re a start-up calculating your footprint, a Fortune 500 driving supply-chain decarbonization, or a researcher pushing LCA boundaries—this data is yours. Dive in, build, question, and tag me with what you create. Let’s accelerate climate action together! #Scope3 #LCA #GHGAccounting #OpenData #Sustainability #ClimateTech

🔥 Breaking Point for Climate Action in the UAE – What You Need to Know May 30, 2025 marks a significant turning point: the UAE’s Federal Decree‑Law No. 11 of 2024 officially came into force. For the first time in the MENA region, both public and private entities—including Free Zone companies—are now legally required to measure, report, manage, and store greenhouse gas emissions data in a national inventory 🌍 Why This Is a Milestone -From CSR to Compliance: Climate responsibility is now a legal mandate, not just an ethical choice -Driving National Net‑Zero Goals: The law aligns with the UAE's commitment to Net‑Zero by 2050 and its Paris Agreement pledges -Strong Enforcement Backed by Penalties: Break it, and you could face fines ranging from AED 50K–2 million, doubling on repeat offenses. 🛡️ What Companies Must Do 📊 MRV (Measurement – Reporting – Verification) -Track Scope 1 & Scope 2 emissions using MOCCAE‑approved methods, maintain emissions inventories, and store data in the UAE’s central registry 📉 Emissions Reduction & Adaptation -Develop climate action plans: targets, energy efficiency, clean energy adoption, CCUS, offsets, and enhanced climate resilience 🗃️ National Inventory Storage -All emissions data transmission to the national emissions inventory, tracked and verified, is mandatory 🕒 One-Year Compliance Timeline -Entities have until May 30, 2025—no grace period for delays 📌 What This Means for You (And Your Company) -Call to Leadership: Organizations embracing early compliance can position themselves as regional sustainability leaders, attract green finance, boost reputation—and avoid hefty fines. -Strategic Advantage: Aligning with this directive unlocks access to national pathways, sector-specific finance, and innovation budgets. -Invest in Capability: Prepare by building internal expertise, establishing robust GHG inventories, and investing in climate tech solutions. 🎯 Your Next Move ✅ Start a GHG baseline audit (Scope 1 & 2, and Scope 3 if possible) 🧑💼 Form a Climate Compliance Taskforce—include legal, sustainability, finance 📅 Commit to a roadmap: Inventory → Targets → Reduction Plan → Inventory submission Let’s turn compliance into opportunity. How is your organization preparing for this shift? What early wins or challenges have you encountered? Let’s talk in the comments 👇 #ClimateAction #SustainabilityLeadership #NetZero2050 #UAEClimateLaw #GHGReporting #CorporateSustainability #Decarbonization #ESGCompliance #SustainabilityStrategy #GreenBusiness Earthood

>380,000 data points on climate policy data. This is the culmination of >2 years work with a great team on the OECD - OCDE Climate Actions and Policies Measurement Framework (CAPMF). Still cannot believe that the CAPMF data is finally publicly available.   All >380,000 data points are publicly available. Ready to be explored by you and your colleagues to analyse 👉 climate policy trends 👉 which policies worked and which did not 👉 differences in climate policy approaches across countries and across time 👉 any climate policy-related question that you may have      Link to the database: https://oe.cd/dx/capmf Please like, comment, share, and - above all - USE!   #climatepolicy, #mitigation, #climatedata, #climatechange, #sustainability

𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗔 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗧𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗲. In a world where climate action can often feel daunting, having access to precise, actionable data can give us a clear way forward. Imagine having the ability to understand where your city's emissions are coming from, be it where we live or near our workplaces.   I was recently exploring the Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE), developed by Google. EIE, helps cities/regions measure emission sources and refine strategies to reduce emissions by leveraging access to Google’s mapping data and machine learning capabilities. With a few clicks, EIE reveals the emissions footprint from heating, cooling, and powering residential and commercial buildings. This data can help develop usable insights that act as a roadmap showing how and where to reduce energy consumption and switch to greener alternatives. There are additional features, like measuring the transportation impact, rooftop solar panel potential, and tree canopy coverage across different areas in the city. Air quality data is also available for certain cities across the globe. Public data is currently available for viewing for > 2,400 places in a database that comprises thousands of cities/regions. What an interesting and usable example of leveraging data for impact in local communities – while leveraging AI for climate change solutions and intelligent emissions reductions. Image Source: Google Environmental Insights Explorer Website  #techonology #sustainability #future #impact

Do you work on climate adaptation and nature-based solutions? Struggling to find the right resources to make a real impact? The Resilient Planet Finance Lab @UniofOxford's Adaptation and Nature Finance Toolkit can be helpful! This free resource provides useful information and tools to help policymakers and investors make decisions about climate resilience, nature, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The toolkit, created by the University of Oxford in collaboration with public and private sector partners, offers several tools, including: 📊 Climate Data 111+ is a comprehensive open-source database on climate hazards that helps researchers, policymakers, and others assess climate risk and build resilient infrastructure. 📊 Asset-level Data Sources: This guide will help you navigate the complex landscape of financial risk analysis by identifying open-source data on vulnerability and exposure. 📊 Taxonomies Database: To ensure that investors and regulators understand the growing number of adaptation taxonomies, provide clear explanations and comparisons. 📊 Adaptation Targets and Metrics: Align your investments with the latest adaptation and nature-related targets from leading standards bodies like ISSB and TCFD. 📊 Adaptation Plans and Corporate Performance: Discover how to incorporate adaptation planning into corporate transition plans and compare progress to relevant frameworks. 📊 Global Climate-Related Risk Analytics: Use the GRI Risk Viewer to identify spatial vulnerabilities and risks in various climate scenarios. This is an excellent resource for anyone involved in climate action, including policymakers, investors, NGOs, and businesses. Click on the link below to learn more.

It is probably no surprise that Spain is taking a lead in climate regulations in Europe. After all, it has been just a year since the Valencia floods, and this summer has seen huge swathes of Spain at temperatures over 40C for extended periods. Now the Spanish government is no longer waiting for EU 'simplification' and has just approved a new "Climate Emergency Plan" and companies will have to comply from 2026. Spain is probably the first country in Europe where at the government tables Fear has overcome Greed. 🇪🇸 Summary of the Spanish Royal Decree 214/2025 🏛️ Purpose Establishes a national registry for: - Carbon footprint - Emissions reduction commitments - CO₂ absorption and compensation projects 🏢 Who Must Comply - Large companies (as defined by Spanish corporate law) - Public sector entities (ministries, autonomous bodies, social security institutions) - From 2026 onward, these public entities must register annually 📊 Key Requirements - Annual calculation of carbon footprint (Scopes 1 and 2 mandatory; Scope 3 voluntary unless specified) - Development and publication of emissions reduction plans Plans must include: - Quantified reduction targets - Measures to achieve them - Alignment with EU climate neutrality goals by 2050 🔄 Registry Structure - Carbon footprint and reduction commitments - CO₂ absorption projects - Carbon offsetting activities 🛡️ Verification & Transparency - Emissions data must be verified by accredited entities - Public access to registry data is guaranteed - Registry interoperable with regional systems and EU standards 📅 Deadlines & Implementation - First mandatory registration for public entities: 2026 - Private sector obligations follow existing laws (e.g., Law 11/2018) - Registry entries valid for up to 5 years, with renewal required

📢 The IFCMA’s Climate Policy Database Policy Instruments Typology and Data Structure has been published! This paper outlines a framework for a comprehensive database of climate change mitigation policy instruments, developed by the OECD's IFCMA. By systematically classifying and describing policy instruments across member countries, this database supports detailed analysis, comparison, and understanding of diverse mitigation approaches. The framework introduces a clear typology for categorising policies by their operating mechanisms and aligns with international reporting standards. Its aim? To enhance global collaboration on climate action, advance our understanding of mitigation strategies, and open new opportunities for empirical research. I'm proud to have been part of this initiative that paves the way for more harmonised and effective climate policies worldwide. Take a look and share your thoughts! 🌍 You can access it in this link: https://lnkd.in/eTrNUmih #ClimatePolicy #Sustainability #ClimateAction #OECD Britta Labuhn Miguel Cárdenas Rodríguez Rodrigo Pizarro Gariazzo Franziska Feldmann Gian-Luca Kaufmann