A US scientific agency has reported record-breaking temperatures in several regions across the globe, including Europe. Scientists have warned of the destabilizing effect of carbon emissions on Earth's climate.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Fernandez
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The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said June 2019 was the hottest June in nearly 140 years.
Germany also recorded its hottest day in June with 38.9 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) as measured in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Other regions across the globe were also affected by record-breaking heat waves.
"The most notable warm temperature departures from average were present across central and Eastern Europe, north-central Russia, northeastern Canada and southern parts of South America, where temperatures were 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit [2 degrees Celsius] above the 1981-2010 average or higher," NOAA said in its monthly report on Thursday.
Humanity took its first steps in space nearly 60 years ago. Since then, space-based technologies have dramatically enhanced our understanding of the environment. They're even starting to help tackle climate change.
Image: Pew Charitable Trusts
Valuable data
Before satellites were first launched into space in the mid-20th century, we knew very little about the dynamics of our climate. Today, numerous satellites collect information which helps us piece together the story of our changing planet. In 1985, they helped discover the hole in the ozone layer, and data from space remains key to tackling global warming.
Image: Pew Charitable Trusts
Warning system
Some satellites monitor signs of climate change, such as melting ice caps, rising sea levels and amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere. The Jason-3 satellite (pictured), launched in 2016, can make precise measurements of global sea levels, a key indicator of climate change. The data will give us a stronger understanding of just how our oceans are being affected by increased temperatures.
Image: NASA.gov
Caught in the act
Space technology has paved the way for the development of increasingly sophisticated surveying and monitoring tools which can track everything from deforestation to illegal fishing ships and even oil spills. This way, researchers know exactly when and where environmental — and legal — action needs to be taken.
Image: DW/N. Pontes
Tracking natural disasters
Satellites play a vital role in tracking natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires and floods. As well as providing an early warning for those on the ground, they also help authorities track the intensity of the event and understand the scale of the devastation. Monitoring storm systems helps generate better climate models to predict future disasters.
Image: Reuters/NOAA
Space gardening
Growing plants in space has already taught us valuable lessons which can be applied to sustainable agriculture on Earth. Astronauts on the International Space Station have discovered they can use less water to grow vegetables, and China recently made history by germinating a cotton seed on the far side of the moon. As our planet warms, this knowledge could be vital for farmers.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/NASA
The problem with rocket emissions
Unfortunately, space technology has also had a negative impact on the environment. Every time a rocket is launched it produces a plume of exhaust smoke filled with bits of soot and a chemical called alumina, which can build up in the stratosphere and deplete the ozone. Space agencies are looking to lessen their use of "ozone-depleting substances" and are researching more eco-friendly fuels.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/ISRO
...and space debris
There are currently more than 20,000 trackable pieces of space junk in orbit around Earth, including everything from old rockets to bolts and screws. They're not technically part of Earth's ecosphere, but if we're not careful the junk may become so dense that satellites won't be able to function properly and provide us with the data we so desperately need.
Image: AP
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New records on the horizon
Scientists have pointed to NOAA's report as further evidence that global emissions are significantly impacting Earth's climate system.
"With half of 2019 completed, this year is currently on track to be the second warmest year since global instrumental observations began," said Robert Rohde, lead scientist at the California-based Berkeley Earth organization.
Scientists have described the destabilization of Earth's climate system as a crisis that requires bold decisions to counteract. Reports suggest that despite global attempts to curb emissions and combat climate change, global warming will breach a 2-degrees Celsius threshold by 2050.
