Space agencies provide global view of our changing environment

#ESA, #NASA, #Klimaatverandering

Gepubliceerd op 19 mei 2022

International collaboration among space agencies is central to the success of satellite Earth observation and data analysis. ESA, NASA and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) have continued their joined effort to develop a storytelling dashboard that combines their resources and expertise to strengthen our global understanding of the changing environment and its economic effects.

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, ESA, NASA and JAXA worked closely together to create an open-source platform, based on the Euro Data Cube, that used a wealth of data from Earth-observing satellites to document the worldwide changes happening to our society and the environment. Now, the COVID-19 Earth Observing Dashboard has been expanded to contain six new focus areas which offers a precise, objective and comprehensive view of our planet.

The dashboard showcases examples of global environmental changes on six new themes: atmosphere, oceans, biomass, cryosphere, agriculture, and the economy. The interactive stories of each theme provide an easy-to-use resource for decision-makers and those not familiar with Earth observation data, with advanced data exploration options available for scientists.

ESA’s Director of Earth Observing Programmes, Simonetta Cheli, commented, “International collaboration between our space agencies is key. Our advanced Earth-observing satellite data provided by ESA, NASA and JAXA are used every day to benefit society at large and advance our knowledge of our home planet.

“After the success of the Earth Observing Dashboard, I am delighted to see how our resources and technical knowledge can be expanded and used to further our understanding of global environmental changes and other societal challenges impacting our planet.”

 

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