As the climate crisis continues to impact life on Earth, ESA is using data beamed to the ground from satellites to boost scientists’ understanding of the evolving environment and help people cut planet-warming emissions.

These activities are coordinated by the ESA Climate Office, a focal point for climate-related projects that is based at the agency’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications in the UK.

In this video, Paul Fisher, knowledge transfer and communications manager at the Climate Office, explains the role of space in tackling climate change.

Since the pre-industrial era, Earth’s temperature has risen by around 1°C. This is linked to many other changes, including rising sea-levels and receding glaciers.

The Climate Office delivers the ESA Climate Change Initiative, a research programme that transforms satellite data into global climate observations that are increasing understanding of these long-term trends.

Data from the initiative is enabling climate modellers to better predict future changes to the polar ice sheets, oceans and forests as the world continues to heat up.

Governments and organisations can use these forecasts to make decisions that will help to limit global warming and enable society to adapt to its effects.