The free application works in parallel with users to create a more conscious, climate-conscious and environmentally friendly world

Rapid access to information is one of the biggest obstacles we as a group of people have to deal with in the internet age. Earth Map is a free app designed to be easy to use and accessible to anyone with an internet connection who wants to observe any environment at any time, without requiring expertise (or travel).

This new tool offers an intuitive point-and-click interface to the program, further enhancing ease of use.

The researchers published their results on January 12 Journal of Remote Sensing. The authors emphasize the importance of putting their technology in the hands of the public who can make a difference.

“Earth Map makes it possible to transform big data into information that can be used by everyone, thereby democratizing the use of remotely sensed data. It allows a wider range of actors to take an active role in monitoring areas currently affected by human activities,” said Carmen Morales, The driver. author and researcher at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

A wide range of users contains large amounts of data that can be used for environmental monitoring and remote sensing applications. Earth Map uses Earth Observation (EO) data to measure various parameters (such as temperature, precipitation or vegetation) to track the climate and environment and how it changes from year to year.

These parameters can be used to measure how well natural resources are being managed and give people insight into how human interactions with the environment can have a direct and long-lasting impact on the Earth as we know it.

“The next 10 years will be decisive in order to avoid the effects of catastrophic climate change and mass extinctions. More than 3 quarters of the Earth’s land surface is affected by human activity. Therefore, it is more important than ever that countries, organizations, communities and individuals are aware of the current state of the earth , its past and future characteristics and dynamics,” Morales said. While 10 years is not a long time, policy changes can show exponential improvement to promote large-scale action.

Ideally, Earth Map is a tool to introduce climate and resource/land use topics to users such as policy makers, research institutions, and interested citizens who are interested but have no prior knowledge of environmental navigation software. and climate analysis.

Since the climate is greatly influenced by the policies developed by governing bodies, the goal would be to use the Earth Map as a jumping-off point for decision-makers at various levels to inform themselves about the current state of the climate and what major policy changes are possible. are put into effect in order to avoid a climate catastrophe.

“Using the app’s full capabilities, Earth Map is a powerful tool for researching the world’s most pressing environmental issues and the impacts of the climate change emergency, as well as developing science-based policy interventions, encouraging investment and sustaining livelihoods,” said Morales. said.

The app helps researchers and institutions gain valuable data to further deepen the science of climate and resource management and hopefully create a more sustainable world.