Earth Map: The digital tool monitoring real time climate change

Earth Map is a powerful, intuitive online tool, open to everyone, which details environmental data about any location on the planet, helping us understand the impact of humans and policy as it happens. 

Using data from the Earth Observation (EO), various parameters are tracked. These include rainfall, temperature, and vegetation cover. This makes it far easier to keep track of how climate and area are changing from one year to the next. 

More so, the information – presented in easy-to-understand formats – also means it’s simpler than ever to gauge how well-maintained vital natural resources are. It’s hoped this information could speed up the time it takes for governments and other key decision makers to take steps to protect an safeguard vulnerable parts of the planet. 

‘Earth Map allows to transform big data into actionable information by everyone, thus democratising the application of remotely sensed data. It enables a broader array of actors to take an active role in monitoring lands currently impacted by human activities,’ said Carmen Morales, lead author and researcher at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

‘The next 10 years will be decisive to avoid catastrophic climate change effects and mass extinctions. More than 3/4 of Earth’s land surface is impacted by human activity. It is therefore more important than ever that countries, organisations, communities, and individuals are conscious of current, past, and future land characteristics,’ they continued. ‘Using the app at its full capacity, Earth Map is a powerful tool to undertake research on the world’s most pressing environmental problems and the impacts of the climate change emergency and develop science-based policy interventions, leverage investments, and sustain livelihoods.’ 

Last week, Environment Journal reported on a new predictive map showing areas of the UK most at risk from flooding if climate pledges made at COP26 are not fulfilled. Take a look here. 

Image: Elena Mozhvilo (Top) / Earth Map (Bottom)