Desert locust

Happy Earth Day, 22 April 2026 – a global call to act and protect our planet. At the European Space Agency, that action begins in orbit, where satellites deliver a continuous, global view of Earth and track environmental change. Working with partners, ESA turns this stream of data into actionable information, helping governments and communities respond faster and more effectively to climate-driven risks.

For example, desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria), shown in this photograph, pose a severe threat to food security across East Africa, with swarms capable of devastating crops within hours.Today, satellite-based Earth observation is changing that – enabling authorities to detect risk early, predict breeding conditions and act before swarms ever take flight.

Read full story: Turning data from space into action for Earth