China is reportedly planning to launch two satellites into space next year to monitor its greenhouse gas emissions.
The country has prepped satellites for a May 2016 launch after four years of development at the Changchun Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics and Physics, according to Reuters and as first reported by Xinhua.
The satellites are expected to help China, the world’s largest source of greenhouse gas pollution, curb its emissions. They will allow the country to research oceans and improve the accuracy of its monitoring tools, according to Reuters.
The announcement comes as more than 150 world leaders congregate in Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The gathering comes at a critical moment for countries to rein in carbon emissions and stop the effects of global warming.
Last week, the United Nations released a report showing 2015 was the hottest year on record. The U.N. Weather agency called “human-induced global warming” one of the biggest culprits.