Yesterday, SpaceX launched Carbon Mapper’s Tanager-1 satellite into space, from where it will capture data on methane ‘super emitters’. The Carbon Mapper Coalition is a group of private and public organisations, collaborating to collect data on greenhouse gas emissions to benefit targeted climate action.
Tanager-1 is the first of two satellites to be launched. The satellite can attribute methane emissions to their exact source with a precision of 50 metres, from sources that release more than 100 kilograms of methane per hour. These sources would include pipelines, flares, and oil and gas wells. The transparent data collected by Tanager-1 can be used in several ways, including identifying policy and regulatory gaps or driving regulatory action.
There is strong potential for this methane data to be introduced in climate litigation, although it has yet to be done. With its ability to pinpoint the exact sources of emissions, this data could play a huge role in holding polluters accountable.
Use of Satellite Data in Climate Litigation
Integration of satellite imagery in climate litigation has a lot of potential. However, the introduction of new types of evidence depends significantly on the relevant jurisdiction’s rules and legal frameworks, which may vary widely. Although satellite imagery has yet to be used in climate-focused cases, satellite data has already provided compelling, visual evidence in environmental cases. Visual evidence can demonstrate environmental degradation. Below are two examples of indigenous groups' use of satellite imagery in environmental litigation.
Example 1: Ecuador
An example of the successful use of satellite data in the courtroom comes from Ecuador, where the A’I Cofán, an indigenous community, fought against gold mining concessions on their ancestral lands in the Amazon rainforest. The concessions, granted by the Ecuadorian government without proper consultation, posed severe threats to their environment and way of life. In January 2022, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court ruled in their favour, mandating the revocation of more than 50 mining concessions and setting a critical precedent by affirming the right of indigenous peoples to free, prior, and informed consent for activities on their lands.
The A’i Cofán and their legal team made strategic use of satellite data and other visual evidence to support their case. The community first detected illegal gold mining activities using drones, which captured images of the damage caused by these operations. They then combined this drone footage with satellite imagery and maps to provide a comprehensive view of the environmental impact. The satellite data helped demonstrate the scale of destruction, including polluted rivers, compacted soil, and deforestation, that resulted from the mining activities.
Example 2: Suriname
In a Suriname case involving the Saamaka Maroons, satellite imagery played a key role in highlighting ongoing encroachment on their ancestral lands. Satellite data from Global Forest Watch revealed significant tree cover loss – approximately 44,700 hectares – from logging and mining activities within and around the Saamaka territory between 2001 and 2022. Moreover, recent satellite data documented the construction of a 43-kilometer illegal road through their territory, further exposing the forest to environmental degradation. With this evidence, Saamaka representatives sought to reopen their case before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in late 2023, aiming to reinforce protections for their land rights.
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