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The World Resources Institute (WRI) describes a four-step monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) process developed for the TerraFund partnership to measure the impact of land restoration projects. This system utilizes the TerraMatch platform to collect geospatial data, field reports, and satellite imagery to track indicators such as tree survival, carbon sequestration, and job creation over six-year periods.

This research paper introduces a multiple criteria spectral mixture analysis (MCSMA) method using shortwave infrared (SWIR) data from HyMap imagery to map the successional stages of tropical dry forests (TDFs) in Costa Rica, demonstrating improved accuracy over existing methods.

This fact sheet by RMI outlines the critical role of methane in global warming, specifically focusing on the oil and gas sector's contribution. It highlights the high warming potential of methane, the cost-effectiveness of leak repairs, and the increasing role of aerial detection technologies in monitoring emissions.

This report by RMI argues that financial institutions (FIs) can use asset-level emissions modeling and remote detection technologies to identify and fund methane abatement in the oil and gas sector. It highlights that methane emissions from equivalent volumes of oil and gas can vary by a factor of 10 or more, and that a significant portion of these emissions can be reduced through cost-neutral or profitable investments. The document advocates for the use of 20-year Global Warming Potential (GWP) metrics to better reflect near-term climate risks and the impact of new regulations, such as the US Inflation Reduction Act's methane fee.

This research paper describes the application of convolutional neural network (CNN)-based machine learning models to detect and monitor retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS) in high latitude northern permafrost using Sentinel-2 satellite data.

This fact sheet describes a project by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to monitor and model the hydro-ecological systems of bofedales wetlands in the Katari watershed of Bolivia. The project utilized a WEAP model and a 36-year remote sensing dataset to analyze the impacts of human activity and climate change on these high-elevation wetlands.

This white paper argues that Brazil lacks an official system to monitor secondary vegetation (regeneration) in the Amazon, leaving these areas vulnerable. While the technology for remote monitoring is available and feasible, the authors state that public policy support and financial commitment are required to implement a system that would enable the country to track reforestation goals and enforce environmental laws.

This white paper argues that Brazil lacks an official system to monitor secondary tropical vegetation (regenerated forests), leaving these areas vulnerable. While the technology for remote monitoring exists, the authors state that public policy support and financial resources are needed to implement a system that would allow Brazil to track reforestation goals and combat illegal clearing of regenerated areas.

This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of Brazil's DETER satellite-based monitoring system in reducing deforestation in the Amazon between 2006 and 2016. Using an instrumental variable approach based on cloud coverage, the authors find that targeted environmental law enforcement significantly curbed forest clearing without negatively impacting local agricultural production.

This white paper by the Climate Policy Initiative argues that strengthening command and control mechanisms, specifically through technological innovation in monitoring and law enforcement, is essential to combating illegal deforestation in Brazil. It highlights the success of the DETER system in the Amazon and proposes expanding these capabilities to other biomes and smaller-scale deforestation.

This white paper by the Climate Policy Initiative argues that strengthening environmental command and control—specifically through technological monitoring and law enforcement—is essential for Brazil to combat illegal deforestation, protect its native vegetation, and maintain its international agribusiness competitiveness.

This research paper evaluates the use of MODIS satellite data and spectral indices to map open water surfaces in coastal wetland systems, specifically testing the effectiveness of the MNDWI6 index and a new threshold optimization method.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes a shift in Brazilian Amazon deforestation from large-scale to small-scale clearings between 2004 and 2012. It argues that while conservation policies successfully reduced overall deforestation, they created a blind spot for clearings of 25 hectares or less, leading landholders in states like Mato Grosso and Pará to adapt their practices to avoid detection.

This policy brief discusses the integration of community-based participatory carbon measurement and monitoring with satellite remote sensing and GIS within Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems for REDD+ and agroforestry carbon sequestration activities, focusing on Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam.

This executive summary describes a study by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) on the impact of the Real Time System for Detection of Deforestation (DETER) and associated law enforcement on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. The analysis concludes that satellite-based monitoring and targeted enforcement by Ibama were the primary drivers of the deforestation slowdown in the 2000s, preventing significant forest loss without negatively impacting agricultural production.

This technical paper assesses the potential for establishing an information and communication early warning system for wildland fires in Mozambique, specifically focusing on the Buzi District of Sofala Province. It identifies significant gaps in interagency coordination and the dissemination of satellite fire data, while recommending a holistic approach that integrates national-level technical systems with community-based fire management (CBFiM).

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the shift in Amazon deforestation from large-scale to small-scale clearings. It highlights how remote sensing-based monitoring, while effective at reducing large clearings, fails to detect areas of 25 hectares or less, leading landholders in states like Mato Grosso and Pará to adapt their practices to avoid detection.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and PUC-Rio analyzes the shift in Brazilian Amazon deforestation from large-scale to small-scale clearings between 2004 and 2012. It highlights how existing remote sensing monitoring systems fail to detect clearings of 25 hectares or less, leading landholders in states like Mato Grosso and Pará to adapt their practices to avoid detection. The document recommends tailoring conservation policies to regional differences and enhancing monitoring technology to target small-scale deforestation.

This policy brief describes Project SG-CEH-03, which uses satellite data and water sampling in Chile to analyze how climate change affects water quality and the risk of waterborne infectious diseases like salmonellosis.

This director's report from June 1998 analyzes the activities of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) between July 1997 and May 1998. It details institutional growth in membership, the administration of scientific projects such as the Initial Scientific Program (ISP) and the Climate Research Network (CRN), and strategic collaborations with international organizations like NOAA, NASA, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).