Harnessing Copernicus to tackle air quality emission evaluation
Traditionally, air pollution sources have been estimated using statistical data and ground-based measurements and models, but this data has been difficult to evaluate and validate independently. SEEDS aimed to change that, using the advanced capabilities of the TROPOMI instrument on board the Sentinel-5P satellite, to introduce new satellite-based emission data sets, refine air quality forecasts and provide a proof of concept. Leonor Tarrason, SEEDS project coordinator and research director for environmental solutions at the independent Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU), explains: “With accurate data, policies designed to protect public health and ecosystems – whether from smog-causing nitrogen oxides or other harmful pollutants – can be better targeted and enforced.”
Pioneering satellite solutions
The project’s goals were ambitious, ranging from improving emissions data to linking air pollution with ecological impacts. Through advanced modelling and machine learning, SEEDS set out to use Copernicus Sentinel satellites to deliver new cutting-edge estimates of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, ammonia and ozone, and compare these with the current Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) emissions data. The team also focused on identifying key areas where satellite technology could improve existing methods or introduce new ones to address both scientific challenges and policy needs, including measuring the temporal evolution of human-caused emissions, estimating natural emissions and coupling air quality and land surface modelling to understand how droughts, heatwaves and vegetation affect pollutant deposition and agricultural yield production. SEEDS laid the groundwork for future developments in Copernicus, establishing how hourly data from upcoming Copernicus satellites such as Sentinel-4 will be used to refine air pollution monitoring.
Innovative approaches to emissions data
SEEDS developed a variety of new data sets, including satellite-based estimates of nitrogen dioxide and ammonia, as well as biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emitted by natural sources such as forests. By blending land surface models with atmospheric data, the project provided a more nuanced understanding of how pollution interacts with ecosystems. Another of their core objectives was to support stakeholders across sectors, from agricultural leaders to urban planners. SEEDS worked closely with key players in the economic, industrial and agricultural sectors to ensure that its innovations could be practically applied and widely adopted. Not all sectors were equally enthusiastic. Engaging large polluters proved challenging, as they were reluctant to participate in independent assessments of their emissions. “We found that simply presenting the project as a tool for better policymaking wasn’t enough – we had to demonstrate how it could add value for industries themselves,” says Tarrason. Despite these challenges, SEEDS achieved its goals of improving emissions data and creating new tools for monitoring deposition. In total, the project generated 18 distinctive data sets, now available to researchers and policymakers through an interactive data portal. The project’s data is currently being used by emission experts across Europe, both within CAMS and in the Task Force for Emission Inventories and Projections.
Sowing SEEDS for the future
One of the project’s key findings was the importance of real-time emission data, and how satellite-based data can provide good independent information on how air pollution sources change over time. Although the project initially focused on analysing past insights, the team realised that real-time emissions data could have a more immediate impact on improving air quality forecasts. As future satellites like Sentinel-4 come online, this capability will only improve. SEEDS also highlighted the need for better cooperation between researchers and industries such as agriculture. While emission experts and environmental authorities were quick to see the benefits of satellite data for improving emission estimates, large industrial and agricultural players were harder to engage. Moving forward, projects like SEEDS will need to focus on making satellite data more accessible and demonstrating its value to broader stakeholder groups.
Keywords
SEEDS, Copernicus, CAMS, air quality, emissions data, air pollution, policy, nitrogen, ozone, pollutants, Sentinel