Former Vice President Al Gore’s nonprofit coalition Climate TRACE has launched an artificial intelligence platform that tracks more than 660 million sources of air pollution worldwide. The system offers neighborhood-level detail on emissions linked to millions of premature deaths each year.
Fine particulate pollution, often called soot, is a silent killer. According to scientists, it is linked to nearly 9 to 10 million deaths every year, causing heart disease, lung cancer, and strokes. Studies show tens of thousands die annually in the United States alone, even at so-called “legal” pollution levels.
“For some time, I’ve been trying to bring more attention to the global public health crisis that’s related to what some refer to as conventional air pollution, or PM2.5. It has been difficult for people to get precise information about what pollution they’re breathing, where it’s coming from, what the quantities are,” Gore explained in an interview with TechCrunch about the scale of the crisis.
How the Climate TRACE tool works
The new system draws data from roughly 300 satellites and 30,000 monitoring stations, using AI to not only measure emissions but also link them to individual facilities. Users will be able to see plume maps that illustrate how tiny soot particles travel through cities and neighborhoods.
Gore emphasized the role of technology in this breakthrough, telling TechCrunch: “The very idea of tracking 662 million sites around the world, I mean without AI, people couldn’t have imagined doing something like that. But of course, as we’ve all seen in the last couple of years, AI can do stuff that is quite extraordinary.”
Health impacts and environmental justice
Scientific studies have long linked PM2.5 to lung disease, heart problems, and cancer. More recent research adds to the list: kidney disease, dementia, Parkinson’s, and complications at birth.
Communities living near refineries and industrial sites, often low-income and minority neighborhoods, face some of the worst impacts. Gore highlighted “Cancer Alley,” a 65-mile stretch of Louisiana packed with petrochemical facilities, as a striking case study. Using Climate TRACE’s data, Gore said: “If Cancer Alley were a nation, its per capita global warming pollution emissions would rank fourth in the world, behind Turkmenistan,” according to AP News.
According to Climate TRACE’s modeling, the largest populations at risk of soot exposure are concentrated in major cities including Karachi, Guangzhou, Seoul, New York City, and Dhaka.
The tool provides independent, open-access data that regulators, investors, and communities can use to hold polluters accountable. Climate TRACE hopes governments, activists, and businesses can use the system to push for change.
In related news, Google’s latest environmental report details the company’s progress, setbacks, and commitment to “powering AI with clean energy.”