21 May is Natura 2000 Day, dedicated to celebrating the EU’s vast network of over 25,000 protected sites under the EU Habitats Directive and Birds Directive and to honouring the collective efforts contributing to the network’s success.   This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, acquired on 18 October 2024, shows Žemaitija National Park in Lithuania. ...

In mid-May 2025, a heatwave affected Iceland, setting records across the country. At Egilsstaðir Airport in eastern Iceland, temperatures reached 26.3°C, the highest ever recorded in May. This surpassed the previous May record of 25.6°C set in 1992. In Reykjavík, the capital, temperatures reached 19°C on 16 May, exceeding the city’s highest...

The Kuiseb River is an ephemeral river in central Namibia. Starting in the Khomas Hochland near Windhoek, it crosses the Namib Desert before ending in the dunes near Walvis Bay. In rare flood years, it may reach the Atlantic Ocean.  This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 8 May 2025, shows the dramatic contrast...

Stretching over 350 km, the Cagayan River is the longest and largest river in the Philippines by discharge volume of water. Situated on the northern island of Luzon, the river originates from the Cordillera Central mountain range and empties into the Babuyan Channel in the north. In addition to supporting diverse wildlife, the river serves as a...

This image, acquired by one of Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 10 May 2025, shows the city of Basel, uniquely situated at the intersection of three countries: France, Germany, and Switzerland.   Nestled along the banks of the Rhine River, Basel is known as one of the cities with the highest quality of life in the world. It boasts a vibrant...

The European Forest Institute has recently revealed that Oslo, Norway, is the European capital with the highest tree cover, with just over 72%.  According to the researchers, whose analysis is based on data from various sources, including the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS), dense urban tree cover provides significant benefits for...

The Manglares de David, or David Mangroves, are an important ecosystem located along the Pacific coast in western Panama. Spanning around 26,600 hectares, this natural area supports diverse marine and bird species and further acts as a natural barrier against coastal erosion and storm surges for the nearby city of David. The David Mangroves and...

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has published its latest monthly Climate Bulletin, focused on key climate trends in April 2025. The bulletin reports that April 2025 was the second warmest April on record globally, with an average surface air temperature of 14.96°C, 0.60°C above the 1991-2020 average for the month. Furthermore, April...

In early May 2025, the waters along the coast of the central and northern Adriatic Sea were affected by an algal bloom. The proliferation of the algae, which turned the seawater a noticeable green, was probably driven by higher-than-average sea temperatures and recent heavy precipitation, which increased river runoff into the sea.   The bloom...

This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image from 29 April 2025 shows the city of Gouda, the Netherlands. Gouda began hosting a cheese market in 1540, establishing the city as a central hub for the regional dairy trade. In the surrounding countryside, dairy farming, and in particular cheese production, was a vital source of income. Once local cheeses began...

Elephant Foot Glacier, located on the Kronprins Christian Land peninsula in northeastern Greenland, is a striking piedmont glacier which flows into Romer Lake. With a terminal lobe measuring 5.4 kilometres in width, the glacier forms a distinctive circular fan of ice as it spreads from a central outlet.   The glacier and lake are visible in...

Laguna Colorada, located in Bolivia’s Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, is a shallow salt lake famous for its bright colours, which can appear red, green, yellow, or other hues based on the presence of algae and minerals in its waters. Situated at an altitude of around 4,300 metres, the lake spans approximately 60 square kilometres....

9 May is Europe Day, dedicated to celebrating peace and unity in Europe on the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, which laid the foundations for European cooperation. The proposal was made by Robert Schuman, now known as a founding figure of the European Union.  Schuman was born in Clausen, Luxembourg, in 1886, and died in Scy-Chazelle,...

Sisak, located in central Croatia in the Sisak-Moslavina County, is known for its blend of Roman heritage and industrial legacy. The city, home to one of Croatia’s oldest settlements, has been inhabited since the Iron Age and features ancient ruins, a star-shaped fortress, and 19th-century industrial architecture.  Situated at the confluence of...

This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image from 2 May 2025 shows Três Pontas, a municipality in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Situated in one of Brazil’s top coffee-producing regions, the city benefits from a combination of high altitudes and a mild climate, ideal conditions for growing coffee. The South of Minas region, where Três Pontas is...

In late April 2025, a rapidly deepening area of low pressure in the Tasman Sea triggered flooding and severe weather across New Zealand, prompting a red warning from the national MetService and a state of emergency to be issued in Christchurch. In some regions, more than 100 mm of rain fell in under 12 hours, leading to burst riverbanks and...

Warmer-than-average temperatures and little rainfall since the beginning of the year are worsening the impacts of drought across Europe, a new “Drought in Europe – April 2025” report from the European Drought Observatory of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service suggests.  The latest data have shown decreased river flows and worsening...

4 May is the International Firefighters’ Day, dedicated to recognising the essential work of firefighters in ensuring that their communities and environments are as safe as possible. An example of this important work can be found in Cuba, where firefighters brought a massive wildfire in the province of Pinar del Río under control nine days...

Zeller See is a lake nestled in the Austrian Alps, near the Hohe Tauern National Park—one of the largest protected areas in Central Europe. At 3.8 km in length, 1.5 km in width, and with a depth of up to 68 metres, the lake supports a range of water sports and tourism. Due to the presence of around 100 underground springs, the Zeller See...

Every April, Romania's agricultural landscape undergoes a vibrant transformation as fields burst into bloom. These expanses of bright yellow flowers, characteristic of rapeseed or canola plants, create a stark contrast against the surrounding greenery. Rapeseed, sunflower seeds, and soybeans are significant crops in Romania, contributing to the...