Industrial Emissions and Greenhouse Gases: What NASA Data Reveal

Satellites show how CO₂, methane and other gases are changing the climate and affecting communities.

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Since the industrial revolution in the mid-1800s, human activities such as burning fossil fuels and clearing land for agriculture have greatly increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As a result, the Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by about 1.18°C since the late 19th century, and ten of the warmest years on record have occurred since 2014.

According to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, there is no doubt that the rise in carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) is caused by human activities. Human influence is the main driver of the changes observed in the atmosphere, oceans, ice, and ecosystems.

Life on Earth depends on energy from the Sun. About half of the sunlight reaching the atmosphere passes through to the surface, where it is absorbed and re-emitted as heat. Nearly 90% of this heat is trapped by greenhouse gases, which slow the loss of heat into space. These gases include CO₂, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, water vapor, and also man-made substances such as CFCs.

NASA’s Earth-observing satellites collect data on greenhouse gases, allowing scientists to identify where emissions are strongest around the world. These data are used in climate models to estimate where gases are released and where they are absorbed. By combining this information with socioeconomic data, NASA also studies how emissions affect human health and communities.

In the United States, the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center—run jointly by NASA and other federal agencies—makes reliable greenhouse gas data publicly available. The goal is to increase transparency, help communities respond to pollution, and support climate policies based on solid scientific evidence.