Exciting critical breakthrough with researchers from the Max Planck Institute and Heidelberg University have developed a new method to monitor industrial air pollution with unprecedented detail, using data from Germany’s EnMAP satellite. 

Published in Environmental Research Letters, the study shows how CO₂ and NO₂—common pollutants often emitted together—can now be measured independently at the same location. Unlike traditional satellite methods that offer 3–5 km resolution, EnMAP can detect emissions with a resolution as fine as 30 meters. 

This breakthrough allows for more precise tracking of pollution sources like power plants. While NO₂ is not a greenhouse gas, it is often used to estimate CO₂ emissions, making this dual-measurement approach especially valuable. 

The researchers believe their method could support both regulatory enforcement and the development of more targeted environmental policies. EnMAP, in orbit for three years, continues to prove vital for advanced climate monitoring.