ESAHomeUnderstanding Our PlanetSecuring Our EnvironmentBenefiting Our Economy
   
About securing our environment
Space & Environment Intelligence
Space & Public Safety
About Observing the Earth
Opportunities with us
Multimedia
Services
Calendar
 
 
 
Bookmark and Share
 
 
 
 
Article Images
Severity of desertification on world stage
 
15 June 2007

Back to article
Desertification puts the health and well-being of more than 1.2 billion people in more than 100 countries at risk, according to the United Nations.
 
 
Back to article
Land use
Download:
  HI-RES GIF (Size: 161 kb)
A spatial modelling tool has been developed in DesertWatch to simulate scenarios of desertification (named ScenDes). The tool generates possible scenarios for desertification monitoring, starting with a land use map at a certain time and simulating the land use evolution during the years. The simulation is typically carried out on periods of 10-20 years and allows to visualise possible land use degradation scenarios. These land uses can then be translated into desertification indicators.

Credits: Research Institute for Knowledge Systems (RIKS)
 
 
Back to article
Land degradation index
Download:
  HI-RES JPEG (Size: 251 kb)
The Land Degradation Index (LDI) exploits remote sensing images, in conjunction with climatic and physiographic parametres, for assessing the landscape status with respect to its natural resources potential. Homogeneous land systems are identified and their status is expressed in terms of number of standard deviations from the population mean. The final values are then converted into 3 broad classes that indicate overgrown, normal and undergrown vegetation. These results were obtained from ESA's DesertWatch project.

Credits: ESA, Advanced Computer Systems SpA (ACS), Italy and National Research Council - Arid Zones Research Station (EEZA), Spain
 
 
Related news
UN’s World Environment Day to focus on drylandsTracking desertification with satellites highlighted at UNCCD COPSpace sentinels track desertification on Mediterranean shores
In depth
Data User ElementDesertWatch website
Related links
World Day to Combat DesertificationUnited Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
 
 
 
   Copyright 2000 - 2011 © European Space Agency. All rights reserved.