Explore EU Space | EU Space Policy

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Satellite image of Björkö in Finland’s Kvarken Archipelago, showing a green, elongated island surrounded by the dark blue waters of the Gulf of Bothnia. Patchwork fields, roads, and the settlements of Björköby and Svedjehamn are visible across the island. A label highlights De Geer moraines—parallel, ridge-like landforms extending through the shallow coastal waters.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Glacial ridges line Björkö in Finland's Kvarken Archipelago

Björkö sits in Finland’s Kvarken Archipelago, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the island's most distinctive features are the parallel De Geer moraines, a series of low ridges deposited as…

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Satellite image of Bowknot Bend on the Green River in the United States, showing the river winding through a series of tight, looping meanders carved into pale desert canyon terrain. The river appears dark blue with bright red margins in the false-color imagery. A label identifies the Green River, with location coordinates and a 500 m scale shown on the map.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

The Bowknot bend, carved by the Green river, USA

Bowknot Bend lies in the arid landscape of eastern Utah, north of Canyonlands National Park, in the United States. It marks the point where the Green River flows into a deeply entrenched meander,…

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Side-by-side Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite images of the Adamello Massif in the Italian Alps, comparing 7 August 2016 (left) with 5 August 2026 (right). The 2026 image shows substantial glacier retreat and thinning, with much less continuous white ice and snow and more exposed rock and fragmented glacier surfaces.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Glacier retreat on the Adamello massif, Italian Alps

The Adamello Glacier is the largest in the Italian Alps, centred on the plateau of Pian di Neve between Lombardy and Trentino. The 2025–-2026 winter brought little snow over to the massif, exposing…

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Satellite image of the coast near Ilulissat, Greenland, on 25 July 2026. Dark blue waters of Disko Bay are scattered with dozens of bright white icebergs of varying sizes drifting away from the mouth of Ilulissat Icefjord, which is covered by a large expanse of sea ice at the lower right. The town of Ilulissat appears along the rocky coastline on the right, with labels identifying the bay, icefjord, and icebergs. An inset map marks the location in Greenland, and Copernicus Sentinel-2 branding, coordinates,

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Icebergs turns over off Ilulissat, Greenland

This natural-colour image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 25 July 2026, shows several icebergs drifting across the dark blue waters of Disko Bay, western Greenland. Dense…

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Four-panel satellite image titled “Low Water Level Across Europe’s Major Rivers,” showing river conditions in early August 2026. The panels show the Loire in France, the Po in Italy, the Rhine in Germany, and the Danube in Hungary. In each image, dark, narrow river channels are bordered by broad light-colored sandbars and exposed riverbeds, illustrating unusually low water levels. Labels identify each river, country, and date, with Copernicus and European Union branding visible.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Europe's major rivers at record low water levels

Copernicus Sentinel-2 images acquired between 1 and 3 August 2026 reveal exceptionally low water levels along sections of four of Europe's largest rivers: the Loire near Saumur in France, the Po near…

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Copernicus Sentinel-2 image of the Landes de Gascogne region in southwestern France showing the extent of the August 2026 wildfires. Burnt areas appear in dark reddish-brown across the forest north of Arcachon Bay, with additional smaller burn scars near Biscarrosse. A lighter-toned 2022 burn scar remains visible to the southeast. The Atlantic coast, Arcachon Bay, Bordeaux, and Langon are labelled for reference.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Four years after the major wildfires of 2022, fire returns to the Landes de Gascogne, France

In the summer of 2022, the Landes de Gascogne forest in south-western France was hit by the country's largest wildfires in decades, with more than 30,000 hectares burnt around Landiras and La…

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Satellite image of southern Europe centred on Greece, showing a large plume of grey smoke drifting across the mainland and surrounding sea.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Wildfires Burn More Than 10,000 Hectares in Greece

A major wildfire broke out on 1 August 2026 near Psatha and Porto Germeno, west of Athens, in western Attica. It has burned more than 10,000 hectares, prompting an emergency response involving…

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Satellite image of a volcano eruption with lava flow visible in red, smoke in white and light blue, and surrounding vegetation in bright green.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

206 days of consecutive effusive eruption at Mayon volcano in the Philippines

Mayon Volcano in Albay Province, Philippines, has remained in a state of eruptive unrest since 6 January 2026. In July, activity included lava effusion, rockfalls, volcanic gas emissions, and minor…

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The satellite image shows the city of Munster surrounded by fields in different shades of brown.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Green corridors in Münster, Germany

The city of Münster, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, lies at the heart of the Münsterland region. It is one of Germany’s leading cities for cycling, with more bicycles than residents.

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Three satellite images of separate wildfires along the Spain–Portugal border, showing burned areas and smoke in false colours.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Wildfires along the Portugal–Spain border

Several wildfires broke out between 27 and 29 July 2026 across northern and eastern Portugal and the neighbouring province of Zamora in western Spain.

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Wildfire in la Vall d'Uixó, Spain

A wildfire broke out on 25 July 2026 near la Vall d'Uixó, in the province of Castellón in eastern Spain. By 27 July, the fire had burnt more than 7,200 hectares, prompting the evacuation of people…

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Low Danube levels in Hungary

Following a prolonged dry spell and intense summer heat, low water levels are being reported along the Danube River in northern Hungary. This reach forms part of the Danube Bend, where the river…

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Wildfire in Saumos, France

Two wildfires broke out between 22 and 23 July 2026 near the municipalities of Saumos and Biscarrosse in south-western France, affecting extensive pine forests around the Arcachon Bay.

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Multiple wildfires prompt national emergency in Spain

The Spanish Government has declared a national emergency on 23 July in response to the severity and simultaneity of large wildfires across the country.

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Mangroves of the Guayas Estuary, Ecuador

To mark the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem celebrated on 26 July, this image shows the mangroves and wetlands surrounding Santay Island in the Guayas Estuary, in…

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Ancient volcanoes shape New Zealand’s Banks Peninsula

Banks Peninsula extends into the Pacific Ocean from the eastern coast of New Zealand’s South Island, beside Christchurch, the largest city on the island. Formed from the eroded remains of two extinct…

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Mount Kilimanjaro rises above the clouds, Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro, located in northern Tanzania, is the highest mountain in Africa and one of the continent’s most recognisable volcanic landscapes.

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Tongue of the Ocean cuts between shallow Bahamian banks

The “Tongue of the Ocean” is a deep oceanic trench in The Bahamas, bordered on either side by shallow carbonate platforms. These banks of limestone sediment lie just below the sea surface and extend…

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Severe v-shaped thunderstorm over northern Italy

A large convective storm dominates this natural-colour Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 21 July 2026 at 10:05 UTC, spreading across the Po Valley towards the Adriatic Sea in northern Italy.

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Earth Observation

Copernicus

Wildfire smoke drifts from Canada over the Atlantic Ocean

Wildfires burning across central Canada in mid-July 2026 have released large quantities of smoke into the atmosphere, affecting large areas in eastern Canada, the eastern United States, and the…