There are several startups developing solutions to suck CO² from the air, we talk about them here at InovaSocial all the time. But at the same time, the three trillion trees in the world are already doing the same thing on a large scale. And a new platform is designed to track exactly how much they're helping, counting the carbon stored in every tree on the planet.

The nonprofit CTrees uses artificial intelligence to analyze satellite and aerial data along with local tree inventory data. As trees grow, or when they are lost due to logging or fires, CTrees can use new satellite images to maintain a continuous estimate of total carbon. The methods, based on two decades of science, "approach the accuracy of the gold standard" of measurement on the ground, says Sassan Saatchi, senior scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is part of the project.

Some startups, such as San Francisco-based Pachama, also use AI and remote sensing to track forest changes for specific carbon offset projects. But CTrees will look at the global picture, also being able to dive into specific projects and data on what is happening in regions or countries. To do this, data from high-resolution commercial satellites that allow zooming in individual trees will be analyzed.

This information will be extremely important for countries that rely on forests to capture a specific amount of carbon as part of their commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement. Companies and non-profit organizations that sell carbon credits to protect or restore forests will also be able to take advantage of the tool to help convince buyers that they are legitimately measuring the value of their work.

Annual forest data will be free to the public on the site, including global and national numbers. Customers who wish to measure carbon in specific projects will pay a fee, with the amount that will be announced soon. In addition to the example mentioned above, the platform can be used for other objectives, from tree tracking on city streets to deforestation detection. Last year, for example, researchers estimated that the world's trees stored about 400 billion tons of carbon. To learn more click here.