Japan to track emissions from passenger jets in world first

Japan is launching a novel initiative to monitor greenhouse gas emissions by equipping commercial passenger planes with special spectrometers, marking the first such program in the world. This innovative approach, reported by Nikkei Asia on Tuesday, is part of Tokyo's intensified efforts to achieve its target of net-zero emissions by the year 2050.

A partnership for precision monitoring

The project is a collaboration between Japan's national space agency, JAXA, and its largest airline group, ANA Holdings. They have fitted a Boeing 737 in ANA's fleet with a JAXA-developed device that analyzes sunlight through a cabin window to detect atmospheric particles like carbon dioxide. A second unit is slated for installation by March, with plans to expand the technology across more aircraft. Unlike traditional air sampling, the spectrometer technology allows for efficient, high-resolution measurement of gas concentrations.

Advantages over satellite observation

JAXA has monitored emissions from space since 2009 using its Ibuki satellite. However, data collected from aircraft cruising at about 10 kilometers offers a significant advantage in granularity. "It's a technology that allows us to see how atmospheric components behave, as if you were taking pictures looking down from an airplane," explained Hiroshi Suto, JAXA’s associate senior chief officer of Earth Observation Missions. This altitude enables more detailed and localized tracking of emissions and even natural absorption rates by forests, complementing the broader satellite view.

Pathway to commercialization and climate goals

The partners, collaborating since 2020, are working to commercialize this atmospheric monitoring method. Ayako Matsumoto, space business development manager at ANA Holdings, highlighted the system's comprehensive benefits, stating it enables detailed measurements across wide surface areas. By transforming routine passenger flights into a global sensing network, Japan is creating a new tool to verify emission reductions and inform climate policy on its path to carbon neutrality.