Cloud forests are highly diverse ecosystems where the conditions are humid, but instead of regular precipitation water is available as the condensation of fog or low-altitude clouds. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is known for its extremely rich flora and fauna with many species that are unique to the region. The reserve is gradually gaining...

The Øresund bridge is one of the longest bridges in the world, spanning the Øresund straight between Denmark and Sweden. The bridge connects to a tunnel which the road and railway enters on a small artificial island. The main span is supported by a system of cables on two large pylons - these are difficult to spot due to their small footprint,...

Most of us live on land, and it is easy to forget that more than 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by the Ocean. But at Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago in Chile, the importance and the power of the ocean is evident. It was exceedingly difficult to find an image of this place that is not completely...

Korission Lagoon is located on the southwestern corner of Corfu Island in Greece. The lagoon has fresh water and is close to the sea but separated by the sand dunes, so it is a biodiversity hotspot with very high species richness. This true colour Sentinel-2 image shows the lagoon and the surrounding natural and agricultural areas and the...

This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 11 May 2024, shows a large phytoplankton bloom west of France.  Phytoplankton blooms are common in the northern hemisphere in spring. They are essential to the cycle of marine nutrients, helping to maintain the balance and productivity of the entire ocean ecosystem.  ...

Large wildfires are burning near the town of Fort Nelson, in British Columbia (Canada), and could potentially reach the town this week. Thousands of people have been evacuated, and the province is in a state of emergency.   The smoke clouds generated by the fires near Fort Nelson are visible in this Copernicus Sentinel-3 image acquired on 11...

The Philippines has faced several heat waves and a severe drought in recent months.   The Pantabangan Reservoir, one of the country's largest, has reached critical levels. As seen in this image captured by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 6 May, the water level has dropped 26 metres this year alone, exposing the ruins of a...

Climate change is severely affecting glaciers around the world.   Venezuela, once home to six glaciers in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida, has witnessed the disappearance of these ice giants, with La Corona being the latest to succumb. This glacier, visible in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 14 February 2024, melted rapidly, shrinking...

This visualisation, based on data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), shows the trend of global surface air temperature anomalies since the 1940s. According to C3S data, April 2024 was the warmest April on record globally, with an average surface air temperature of 15.03°C. The month was 1.58°C warmer than the estimate of the...

The Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has been hit by devastating floods. According to media reports, as of 7 May, more than 110,000 people have been displaced, in over 500 municipalities, and the local government has declared a state of natural calamity. Heavy rains have caused Lake Guaíba to swell by five metres, threatening the state...

In the last week of April 2024, much of Argentina was affected by cold temperatures and snowfall, including southern as well as western provinces. The National Meteorological Service of Argentina issued weather alerts in several provinces of the country as a consequence of the extreme cold, snowfall, and winds.   Snow is visible in this...

In recent days, eastern Africa has been affected by very heavy rainfall, resulting in severe floods throughout the region.   In Kenya, thousands of people have been impacted by the flooding, and at least 170 casualties have been reported. Kenyan authorities issued an evacuation order for areas that are prone to further floods and landslides.  ...

In Western Australia, forests have been heavily affected by drought and extreme temperatures. Many of the affected forests are dominated by eucalypt trees such as jarrah and marri, which are found only in that region of the world. Amid the difficult conditions, the trees and shrubs, some of which are over a century old, turn brown as their...

Tulips are one of the most iconic symbols of the Netherlands.   With around two billion bulbs exported every year, the country is the world’s largest commercial producer of the flowers. Every spring, tulip season in the Netherlands ushers in a colourful spectacle that delights both visitors and locals alike.   In this Copernicus Sentinel-2...

The area around Acapulco, Mexico is facing yet another environmental crisis after it was affected by Hurricane Otis last year. Multiple fires have broken out throughout the region, impacting visibility and air quality. One of the blazes is in El Veladero National Park, an important ecosystem for many species of flora and fauna. Several raging...

On 14 April, a wildfire broke out in Tàrbena, Spain. The fire, which was deemed to be the result of uncontrolled agricultural burning, led to the evacuation of 180 people and affected more than 650 hectares. Local authorities reported that the blaze had been brought under control on 16 April. The burn scar from the fire is visible in this...

In recent days, Europe has been affected by a new Saharan dust storm, which turned skies in Greece orange. On 23 April, the dust covered Romania, Moldova, and even Ukraine. The storm is forecasted to diminish by Friday 26 April. Dust hovering over Ukraine is visible in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 24 April. The Copernicus...

Sargassum, a brown macroalgae, is predominantly found in the Sargasso Sea, located in the central region  of the Atlantic Ocean. This seaweed flourishes in warm waters and is well-adapted to the unique conditions of its native habitat. In the context of ongoing climate change, rising ocean temperatures could significantly contribute to the...

On 22 April 2024, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) released the ‘European State of the Climate 2023 Report’. According to its findings, 2023 was the second-warmest year on record in Europe. Air temperatures were above average for 11 months of the year, and September was the warmest-ever on record. As visible in this data...

In recent months, southern Africa has been affected by a severe drought, marked by extremely dry and warm conditions. Furthermore, the Zambezi River is flowing at very low levels for the season. These extreme conditions have impacted soil moisture and crops, amplifying ongoing humanitarian and environmental crises in the region. These...