In addition to being a public health crisis, COVID-19 has also had a dramatic impact on the environment and the economy.
Three space agencies, NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), are tracking how the new coronavirus has altered the world environmentally and economically with the help of a new dashboard that was unveiled Thursday.
The COVID-19 Earth Observation Panel allows users to explore how the pandemic has impacted a variety of things by looking at satellite imagery, such as airport and shipping traffic, city night lights, and agricultural production.
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This image released by NASA shows the average concentration of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide measured in March this year, a significant decrease from the previous year.
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“The pandemic was not only leaving behind a staggering number of human suffering. We had a global impact that we could document from space, “said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator at NASA’s Scientific Mission Directorate, in a video posted with the board.
“Our three space agencies realized that if we could combine forces, we could bring a more powerful set of analytical tools to bear this rapid crisis.”
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In addition, the dashboard includes data on greenhouse gases, air quality, and water quality.
Satellite imagery shows that the number of cars produced in China increased again in April after previously falling in the pandemic. Previous observations showed a dramatic decrease in pollution and greenhouse gases as the blockades took effect worldwide.
