It’s critically important that companies and countries stick to their promises, says Antoine Rostand, President and CEO of Kayrros.
Recent studies reveal a startling reality: European insect populations have declined by more than 75% in the past 27 years, with significant reductions seen in nature reserves across Germany. Bird populations in Europe have also experienced a significant decline of about 30%. In short: biodiversity is falling across the continent. The state of European nature is dire.
The enactment of the EU Nature Restoration Law marks a significant triumph for environmental action. Coming in the wake of substantial delays and against strong opposition, it requires EU countries to restore 20% of their land and marine areas by 2030.
This law aims to restore and conserve a variety of ecosystems such as wetlands, forests, grasslands, rivers, urban areas, and marine environments. Specific targets include halting and reversing the decline of pollinator populations by 2030 and increasing the populations of grassland butterflies and farmland birds, as well as restoring peatlands used for agriculture.
But in the fight against climate change, securing commitments is just the first step. (It is also, by far, the easiest.) Having made ambitious pledges at previous COP summits, countries and companies often fail to fulfil their promises, as evidenced by rising global temperatures, including a record-breaking May.
A major reason for this failure is a clear lack of transparency and accountability. And technology can help. Advanced Earth observation tools, which process terabytes of satellite imagery using AI, now allow us to monitor the planet’s vital signs closely and in real-time, highlighting which progress is being made and where.
For example, we found a substantial gap between the reported and actual methane emissions from the 42 largest oil and gas producers. Integrating data sourced from satellites, processed with AI and pitched against public methane emission estimates, national oil and gas production figures, and industry self-reports, we found that methane intensities are 16.1 times higher than those reported by companies.
Using Earth observation tools, we can also see that, despite widespread scepticism, forest conservation projects linked to the voluntary carbon market are capable of effectively channelling funds from major polluters in the Global North to protectors of Global South forests.
We looked at 115 REDD+ projects in the Amazon and Africa, and found that, for the most part, they either slow or halt deforestation. These findings should not be misconstrued. Low integrity carbon credits and poor traceability of funds are unfortunately still a central challenge associated with the voluntary carbon market.
However, our findings do suggest that with proper due diligence, advanced legislation and real time verification models, we can lower net carbon emissions faster, as has been promised by countless governments and companies across the globe.
The discovery that forestry conservation projects really can work is good news. What isn’t is the discovery that the signatories to the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) aren’t meeting their commitments.
The pledge aims at collectively reducing methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030, which reflects the recognition that methane is extremely dangerous: it is approximately 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Implementing the GMP fully could potentially avert more than 0.2˚C of warming by 2050.
But, save for Australia, the signatories we tracked weren’t following through on their commitment. Methane emissions have been rising, exacerbated by sectors such as agriculture and fossil fuel extraction, which remain major contributors to global warming.
The failure of countries to uphold such pledges suggests that climate goals are being viewed as optional, contingent upon there being the right conditions. And this erodes the integrity of both historical and prospective climate endeavours. This perception weakens global efforts to combat climate change, which must transcend politics and ideology.
As temperatures steadily climb and commitments to mitigate climate change remain unmet, societies globally confront escalating insecurities about their future. Recent data underscores this urgency: tropical deforestation rates stand at 10 football pitches a minute, as of 2023.
These sorts of alarming trends are exacerbated by agricultural expansion, logging, and catastrophic wildfires, highlighting the urgent need for effective climate action. Decisive action is imperative, as each incremental increase in global temperature amplifies the risks posed by climate instability.
To that end, the recent EU Nature Restoration Law stipulates that EU countries must submit National Restoration Plans to the Commission by mid-2026, showing how they will deliver on the targets. They will also be required to monitor and report on their progress, with the European Environment Agency drawing up regular technical reports on progress towards the targets.
Given these requirements, countries should be turning towards Earth observation technologies as a key component of their monitoring methodology. These technologies are the best way to track progress independently, at scale, in high resolution. They are non-intrusive, cost-efficient and eradicate the possibility of fabricated figures.
They can determine where specific challenges lie, where the loss of biodiversity has been occurring and needs addressing, and potentially help speed up the process of implementation, turning promises into reality.
Harnessing cutting-edge technologies is crucial in advancing legislative and regulatory frameworks that can facilitate effective climate action. Unwavering commitments must endure beyond transient geopolitical shifts and economic fluctuations. Only through steadfast dedication and global cooperation can we mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change and secure a sustainable future.
