Satellites track global deforestation in real time
Advanced satellites provide near real-time insights into global deforestation, enabling swift action to protect vital forests and potentially revolutionize carbon credit markets.
Earth observation satellites, like NASA's Landsat and ESA's Sentinel missions, continuously monitor our planet, capturing high-resolution images of forests. They detect tree loss as small as a few hectares by comparing current data with historical records, providing timely alerts on illegal logging or natural disasters. This rapid monitoring helps governments and conservationists respond quickly to curb habitat destruction in hotspots like the Amazon, where 17% of the rainforest has been lost since the 1970s. This technology is vital because deforestation contributes to about 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and improved data could revolutionize carbon credit markets.