NOA & PRAXI Network/FORTH | Tbilisi, Georgia | English

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...

The European Commission had a strong presence at the Living Planet Symposium 2025 in Vienna (23 – 27 June) with a dedicated booth, updates on upcoming Copernicus satellite missions, and insights into the European Union’s priorities for the development of the European Earth Observation (EO) sector. In this Observer, we look at how the EU Space...

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,...

Since mid-June 2025, persistent heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.  According to the state's Civil Defense, 5 casualties have been confirmed. More than 10,000 people have been evacuated, with 155 municipalities reporting damage. The water level of the Jacuí River  in Cachoeira do Sul...

The coastal town of Haapsalu, in western Estonia, is located on the shores of the Baltic Sea, an hour’s drive from the capital, Tallinn. Haapsalu is known for its mud baths and spa treatments, attracting visitors seeking relaxation to its many seaside resorts. The first bathhouse was opened in Haapsalu as early as 1825, though the local mud has...

During the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, the European Digital Ocean Pavilion demonstrated digital innovation, science-based policy, and international collaboration for Ocean protection. Located in the Palais des Expositions from 2 to13 June, the Pavilion provided visitors a deep dive on how the EU is using digital data,...

A marine heatwave is ongoing in the Mediterranean Sea.  This data visualisation, based on Copernicus Marine Service data, shows sea surface temperature anomalies recorded on 22 June 2025. Areas in dark red indicate temperatures more than 5°C above the seasonal average. The most intense warming was observed in the western Mediterranean basin,...

On 22 June 2025, intense wildfires broke out on the Greek island of Chios, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency. Several villages were ordered to evacuate as hundreds of firefighters worked to contain the blaze. The fires have caused significant disruption, including power outages, water shortages, and damage to property. ...

The Ubinas Volcano, located in southern Peru within the Moquegua Region, is the most active volcano in the country. Rising to an elevation of about 5,672 metres, it forms part of the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes. Ubinas has a long history of eruptions, with activity recorded as far back as the 16th century, and it remains closely...

The Venta River, one of Latvia’s major waterways, flows through the western part of the country, stretching approximately 346 km from its source in Lithuania to the Baltic Sea at Ventspils. The Venta River has long served as an important trade and transport route and continues to be a vital ecological and cultural feature in Latvia. Ventspils...