Situated along the banks of the Danube River, Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and a key cultural, political, and economic hub in Central Europe.  The city blends a rich architectural heritage with dynamic urban life, surrounded by rolling hills, river landscapes, and protected natural areas that connect it closely to its environment.  ...

This Sentinel-3 image, acquired on 15 July 2025, shows a plume of Saharan dust drifting northwards across the western Mediterranean Sea.  The dust extends from northern Algeria across the Mediterranean Sea towards the Balearic Islands. Fine particles, lifted by strong desert winds, create a broad, dust-laden veil over the sea surface, producing...

On 7 July 2025, a wildfire broke out near the municipality of Paüls, in the province of Tarragona, Spain. The fire spread rapidly, burning over 3,300 hectares, one-third of which lie within the Parc Natural dels Ports. The blaze prompted lockdowns affecting approximately 18,000 residents in Paüls and neighbouring localities and has led to at...

Accra is the capital of Ghana and one of the fastest-growing urban centres in West Africa. Located along the Gulf of Guinea, Accra serves as a key economic and administrative hub, home to over 5 million residents in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area. The city faces rapid urbanisation, serving as a centre for manufacturing, marketing, finance,...

Located in the central Visayas region, Cebu City is a major hub for commerce, tourism, and education in the Philippines. Bordered by the Cebu Strait to the east, the city's geography is a mix of coastal lowlands and hilly interior terrain. Its strategic coastal location has made it an important port and commercial centre, connecting the central...

The Danish marine ecosystem is affected by algal blooms almost every year. Nutrient-rich water, which can result from warmer water temperatures or from agricultural emissions, creates an environment for algae to thrive.  This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, acquired on 30 June 2025, shows an algal bloom in the North Sea off the coast of Denmark,...

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has published its latest monthly Climate Bulletin, focused on key climate trends in June 2025. The bulletin reports that June 2025 was the third-warmest June globally, with an average ERA5 surface air temperature of 16.46°C, 0.47°C above the 1991-2020 average for June. In Europe, the average...

Food production in Egypt, a largely desert country, has long benefited from the fertile lands along the Nile. In the late 1990s, the ambitious New Valley, or Toshka Project, set out to reclaim desert land for agricultural usage by channelling water from Lake Nasser into the Western Desert, which is part of the Sahara. The different colours in...

The Skeiðarárjökull glacier in southern Iceland plays a key role in the region’s hydrological cycle. As an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, it is closely monitored due to its repeated history of glacial outburst floods, which have shaped the surrounding landscape. The glacier’s retreat is visible in these Copernicus Sentinel-2 images, acquired on...

On 2 July 2025, a wildfire broke out near the village of Achlia in eastern Crete, Greece. Fanned by strong winds, the fire spread rapidly, prompting the evacuation of around 5,000 nearby residents. Hundreds of firefighters were deployed to combat the flames, which have inflicted damage on homes and businesses in coastal and inland areas. On 3...

Bjørnafjorden is Norway’s widest fjord, located in Vestland county. Its calm, expansive waters stretch between steep, green hills and rugged cliffs, providing a scenic environment for outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, and water sports.  This cloud-free image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 20 May 2025,...

On 29 June 2025, a wildfire broke out near the Bizanet commune in the department of Aude in south-western France. The fire was intensified by the dry conditions in the region following a heatwave which affected much of Europe.  The blaze, which burned around 400 hectares of land, led to road closures and the evacuation of nearby residents. More...

On 1 July 2025, the “Torrefeta i Florejacs” fire broke out in the Segarra region of Catalonia, Spain.  It burned approximately 5,000 hectares across several municipalities. The flames were fanned by strong winds of up to 125 km/h, prompting lockdowns for nearly 20,000 residents. At least two casualties have been confirmed near the town of...

Since late June 2025, much of Europe has been affected by an intense heatwave. The high temperatures have led to casualties and impacted air quality, wildfire risk, and agriculture. This data visualisation is derived from measurements from the Copernicus Sentinel-3 Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) instrument. It shows the...

Since late June 2025, Europe has been affected by an intense heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40 °C in several countries. The extreme heat has caused widespread disruption, leading to casualties and placing ecosystems and agriculture under severe stress. These Copernicus Sentinel-2 images, acquired on 22 June and 2 July 2025, show the...

An intense heatwave is ongoing across much of Europe, causing widespread disruption, health impacts, and environmental stress. In Italy, two casualties have been reported due to heat-related incidents. Authorities in France issued a red alert with over 1,300 schools closed, and parts of Spain and Portugal have recorded June temperatures...

On 26 June 2025, a rare snowfall event affected the arid expanse of the Atacama Desert, known as the driest place on Earth. The snow covered the Operations Support Centre of the ALMA Observatory in Chile, situated at an altitude of 2,900 metres. Snowfall in this location is highly uncommon, with the last significant event occurring over a...

The landscape of Fogo, one of the Cape Verde islands, is dominated by Pico do Fogo, the archipelago’s highest peak at nearly 2,830 metres. This active volcano last erupted in 2014. Its collapsed crater, Chã das Caldeiras, spans 8 kilometres and hosts a small village. To the south-west, the capital São Filipe sits on a 100-metre-high cliff...

Funafuti, an atoll of numerous islets in the west-central Pacific, is the capital of Tuvalu, the world’s fourth smallest country by land area. The country is vulnerable to challenges stemming from sea-level rise and coastal erosion. In this context, the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project helps reduce coastal risks by supporting coastal...

Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The Chao Phraya River runs through the heart of the city, serving not only as a major waterway, but also as a key source of fertile land for agriculture in the city's outskirts. Over 40% of the country’s working population works in the agriculture and food sector, with rice, cassava,...