- EU proposes a satellite system to protect forests.
- Nearly 900,00 hectares of EU’s land burned last year due to climate change Impacts.
The European Commission has proposed a satellite-based forest monitoring system to tackle climate change-fueled wildfires and illegal logging. Europe’s forests face mounting threats from extreme heat and drought, resulting in nearly 900,000 hectares burned last year.
The proposal mandates using Copernicus Sentinel satellites for data collection and requires EU countries to gather on-ground measurements of logging areas, tree volume, and ancient forests. The system aims to track wildfire risks and combat illegal logging across borders, addressing disputes like Poland’s breaching of EU environmental laws. Advocacy groups see this proposal as vital but call for more action to protect Europe’s forests.