California is launching its 'own damn satellite' to track climate pollutants

California's state government will work with a company called Planet Labs to build and launch a climate change research satellite capable of tracking the sources of pollution, California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) said Friday.

"We're going to launch our own satellite — our own damn satellite to figure out where the pollution is and how we're going to end it," Brown said at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco. "This groundbreaking initiative will help governments, businesses, and landowners pinpoint — and stop — destructive emissions with unprecedented precision, on a scale that's never been done before."

Brown did not say when the satellite would be ready or how much it might cost. A statement from his office said the project "has the potential to deliver global emission reductions equivalent to 1,000 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually — or removing 200 million vehicles from roads every year."

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The day before, at the same event, Brown argued environmental issues would be a major black mark on President Trump's legacy. "When Trump says, in effect, 'We like more methane going into the air,' that is highly destructive, very highly destructive," he said. "So I think he'll be remembered [as] he is now — I don't know: liar, criminal, fool, pick your choice."