Decision-makers who want to quickly and effectively mitigate climate change need to know the sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Duke University is tackling this challenge as part of Climate TRACE. Co-founded in 2020 by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, this global, open-data coalition offers an independent, transparent inventory of emissions data and sources worldwide to help governments, companies and others make high-impact decarbonization choices. Comprised of a dozen organizations and more than 100 additional contributors, Climate TRACE leverages advanced technologies to trace human-caused greenhouse gas emissions back to their sources. Duke’s Energy Data Analytics Lab leads a team that is estimating direct emissions from the building sector using data derived from applying machine learning techniques to satellite imagery.
During COP29 in Azerbaijan, Climate TRACE released the largest and most comprehensive emissions inventory to date. The Duke-led team contributed to the massive dataset with the highest-resolution information available on emissions from residential and non-residential buildings, including retail, warehouses, hospitals, schools and more. In spring 2025, Climate TRACE began releasing monthly emissions data across sectors, offering even timelier information for decision-makers to act on. READ MORE.
Image of the Climate TRACE dashboard as of fall 2025 that helps trace human-caused greenhouse gas emissions back to their sources.