How is climate change affecting life on Earth?

Satellite data provides a global picture of the earth and atmosphere and can thus help map these impacts. We use this information to adapt or increase our resilience.

Carbon monoxide from fires

Natural fires are increasingly common and often more intense around the world. An extreme example is the Australian bushfires of 2019-2020, where millions of hectares went up in flames. Heat waves and drought create ideal conditions in which fire spreads at lightning speed. Fires in boreal forests in 2021 were also exceptionally large as both North American and Eurasian forests experienced massive water shortages at the same time.

Such fires release large amounts of carbon monoxide, a toxic gas that negatively affects air quality. Satellite measurements make it possible to monitor these emissions and better understand how smoke and pollutants spread through the atmosphere. This not only helps in predicting the impact on air quality, but also in estimating the effects on climate, as forest fires emit large amounts of greenhouse gases such as CO2 in addition to carbon monoxide.

Dust from desertification

Desertification is the degradation of land in dry areas due to human activities and climate change. Almost half of the earth’s surface consists of dry areas, home to three billion people. For life on earth, desertification has major consequences such as depletion of groundwater, decline in biodiversity, and an increase in dust and sand storms. These storms adversely affect air quality and disrupt solar and wind energy infrastructure. These dust storms also affect the climate because dust particles reflect sunlight and absorb thermal radiation from the earth. The risks of desertification increase with further warming, especially in South and Central Asia, West Africa and East Asia, but also in Europe. The latest satellite instruments (PACE/SPEXone, Earthcare/ATLID) allow us to measure the amount of desert dust in the air. These satellite measurements help map the effects of desertification on climate and air quality.

Methane from swamps

Swamps are the largest natural source of methane, accounting for a third of methane emissions worldwide. In a warmer climate, methane emissions from these natural sources are expected to increase (further). Satellite measurements of methane in the atmosphere, as well as of soil moisture and flooded areas, can be used to get a better picture about methane emissions from wetlands.