Montreal-headquartered GHGSat, the global leader in emissions monitoring technology, has become the first Canadian company to join the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters as a data contributor, providing its data as part of a prestigious global collaboration to leverage Earth observation technologies for disaster response efforts, the company said in a statement on July 23.

Through the Charter, government authorities around the world will now be able to draw on GHGSat’s facility-level methane and carbon dioxide data to assess the health of critical energy infrastructure and risks to public safety.

GHGSat’s participation in the International Charter reinforces Canada’s leadership in the development of space-based technologies that benefit life on Earth, the Government of Canada stated.

GHGSat’s constellation of satellites trace methane emissions as small as 100 kg/hr to individual pieces of industrial equipment from space, with a unique ability to revisit sites on a daily cadence. While GHGSat’s satellites are often deployed by carbon-intensive industries to monitor their emissions, the methane that they detect also provides a critical signal for first responders: an indication of potential infrastructure damage.

For local authorities and first responders, the ability to quickly assess infrastructure damage is paramount, both for safety and economic reasons. If pipelines that run through residential areas or transportation corridors are damaged, lives could be at risk. Disruptions to the safe and reliable transportation of energy can also create severe economic consequences.

GHGSat’s data has already proven instrumental in emergency situations. During the 2025 California wildfires, GHGSat supported U.S. local and federal response teams by looking for methane emissions from critical energy infrastructure across Los Angeles, supporting the swift assessment of safety risks to the roughly 3.8 million people across the metropolitan area. Following the devastating 2023 earthquake in Turkey, a 7.8 on the Richter scale, GHGSat tasked its satellites to look for changes in emissions patterns along pipeline infrastructure in proximity to the fault lines, aiding emergency crews to understand the extent of infrastructure damage and prioritize repairs.

“Joining the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters as a formal data contributor reflects our steadfast commitment to protecting life on Earth,” said Stéphane Germain, CEO of GHGSat. “By providing insights in near-real time—and getting a clear picture of areas that local authorities cannot access on-the-ground—our satellites can help local authorities to track where infrastructure may have failed, or where there is elevated risk, for prompt action during critical windows of emergency response. Through the Charter, now first responders around the world can draw on our data to safeguard local communities.”

“Canada is a proud member of the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters, a unique global collaboration that provides satellite data in support of emergency response efforts worldwide, said Lisa Campbell, President of the Canadian Space Agency. “GHGSat’s participation as a data contributor reflects the strength of Canadian innovation and our ongoing commitment to international cooperation when it matters most.”

As natural disasters become more frequent and complex, GHGSat’s collaboration in the International Charter underscores how Canadian innovation can help meet urgent global challenges—combining space technology, actionable data, and a spirit of collaboration to protect people and the planet.

About GHGSat

GHGSat is a global technology leader with pioneering emissions-monitoring capabilities that drive industrial efficiency with positive impact. Harnessing the power of satellites and aircraft, GHGSat traces emissions directly to their source at an unmatched speed, delivering the data and insights required to take action. A trusted partner for organizations around the world, GHGSat empowers decision-makers to tackle emissions, accelerating progress towards a resilient energy future.