The Summer's Biggest Climate Disasters, Seen from Space

Massive Burn Scar in France

Image: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery

Europe’s summer of heatwaves came with an unusually early and intense wildfire season, as countries across the Mediterranean region experienced a slew of devastating fires in July. The coast of France was particularly hard-hit, as the country experienced its driest month on record since the 1960s. Here, an August 1 satellite image shows the browned burn scar near the town of La Teste-de-Buch on the coast.

Previous Next

As Mass Drownings Add Up, Emperor Penguins Officially Join the Endangered List

Other affected species include the Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals.

Climate Change Gayoung Lee Apr 9

China Is Trying to Grow New Forests in This Notorious Mega-Desert. It’s Working

Independent researchers in the U.S. have confirmed that China has managed to create a new carbon sink out of portions of Earth’s second-largest ‘mobile desert.’

Climate Change Matthew Phelan Apr 2

A wildfire rages in Portugal as a man watches on

The US Has Already Caused $10 Trillion in Climate Damages—and the Math Gets Worse

Individual climate actions have tangible monetary consequences, researchers say. But that goes both ways.

Climate Change Ece Yildirim Mar 25

Your Home Could Soon Be Uninsurable If You’re in One of These States

Home insurance is buckling under climate risk and construction trends. Find out how your state fares.

Climate Change Jake Bittle, Emily Jones, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Vivian La, Anila Yoganathan, Katie Myers, & Clayton Aldern, Grist Mar 23

Satellite data showing a large methane leak in Stanton, Texas

Satellite Images Reveal Mega-Leaks of Potent Greenhouse Gas

UCLA's Stop Methane Project ranked the 25 oil and gas sites with the largest methane emissions rates worldwide.

Climate Change Ellyn Lapointe Mar 18

Earth’s Spin Is Slowing at a Pace Not Seen in Millions of Years—and You Can Guess Why

The new study described this "almost unprecedented rate of increase" in the length of an average day as a quantifiable consequence of Earth's rising oceans.

Climate Change Matthew Phelan Mar 13