Explore EU Space | EU Space Policy

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Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 16 August 2026 showing Lake Velence in central Hungary. The green-coloured lake is surrounded by agricultural land and the settlements of Velence, Gárdony and Sukoró, with shallow shoreline areas visible around parts of the lake.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Record-low water levels at Lake Velence, Hungary

Lake Velence, Hungary’s third-largest lake, located southwest of Budapest, is affected by record-low water levels following prolonged dry conditions. By 1 August 2026, its water level fell below the…

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Four-panel satellite comparison showing drought conditions in southern England in August 2026.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Severe drought across southern Britain

Over the summer of 2026, dry conditions have been affecting the United Kingdom. According to the European Drought Observatory (EDO), 25% of the territory of England was in Alert conditions and 65% in…

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Map of Pereira, Colombia, showing earthquake-related damage identified by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service following the 10 August 2026 magnitude 7.4 earthquake.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Earthquake causes widespread damage in Colombia

On 10 August 2026, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, causing severe damage across the region. According to the latest reports, the earthquake has resulted in 289 casualties and…

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Satellite image of the Buccaneer Archipelago off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia, showing the rugged coastline and numerous islands and waterways.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Turquoise waters surround the islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago

The Buccaneer Archipelago comprises more than 800 islands off the Kimberley coast of north-western Australia. The archipelago is known for its complex coastline, strong tidal currents, rocky islands,…

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Copernicus Marine data visualisation of sea surface temperature

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Marine heatwave conditions persist in the western Mediterranean

Marine heatwave conditions have been affecting the western Mediterranean Sea and parts of the north-eastern Atlantic through the summer of 2026, and unusually warm sea surface temperatures remained…

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Satellite image of the eclipse shadow , spanning from northern Greenland to the Svalbard Archipelago and Franz Josef Land.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

The Moon's shadow sweeps across the Arctic Ocean

On 12 August 2026, a total solar eclipse crossed the Arctic Ocean, eastern Greenland, western Iceland, and the northern half of Spain. The area covered by the full eclipse was at most 294 kilometres…

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Satellite image of the Baltic Sea between Denmark and Germany on 8 August 2026, showing extensive green algal blooms swirling in large spiral patterns across the dark blue water. Clouds partially cover the surrounding coastlines, with Denmark visible to the northwest and Germany to the south.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Algal bloom swirls across the western Baltic Sea

Cyanobacteria blooms return to the Baltic Sea every summer, when warm water, light winds, and nutrients carried in from land cause this type of algae to multiply. On 11 August, health authorities in…

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Map of Europe showing average surface air temperature anomalies for July 2026 compared with 1991–2020 average. Western and southern Europe are mostly warmer than average, with the strongest warming in France and the western Mediterranean shown in dark red. Northern and eastern Europe are generally near average to cooler than average, with blue areas around Scandinavia, the Baltic, and eastern Europe. Temperature anomalies range from −6°C to +6°C.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

July 2026 was the second-warmest July on record in western Europe

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has published its latest monthly Climate Bulletin, focusing on key climate trends in July 2026. July 2026 was the second warmest July on record in western…

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Three side-by-side satellite images of France and surrounding regions in August 2024, 2025, and 2026, showing progressively dry, brown conditions across much of the country. The panels are dated 11 August 2024, 12 August 2025, and 8 August 2026, respectively. Cloud cover varies between the images, while the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Alps, and Pyrenees are visible. Branding identifies the imagery as from the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission.

Earth Observation

Copernicus

Severe drought affects France

A severe drought has been affecting large parts of France this summer. According to the European Drought Observatory (EDO), more than 85% of the country was under drought warning or alert conditions…

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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…