September 26, 2023

Data Visualization and Climate Change

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3 minutes

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News

The European Space Agency's data visualization contest inspires impactful storytelling with minimal ink.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is organizing a contest to raise awareness and stimulate climate action through data visualization. Participants are invited to create visualizations using satellite and climate data, with winning entries showcased at the #COP28 UN Climate Conference.

The competition is open to creative individuals, experts, and enthusiasts from across Europe who can analyze and illustrate freely available climate datasets from ESA, EUMETSAT, and ECMWF, highlighting key aspects of planetary changes.

Available datasets for the contest:

The Power of Visualization

For inspiration, I revisited my notes on the extraordinary book The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward R. Tufte and selected two quotes to share:

Modern data graphics can do much more than substitute for small statistical tables. At their best, graphics are instruments for reasoning about quantitative information. Often, the most effective way to describe, explore, and summarize a set of numbers—even a very large set—is to look at pictures of those numbers. Moreover, of all methods for analyzing and communicating statistical information, well-designed data graphics are usually the simplest and at the same time the most powerful. ― Edward R. Tufte, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd Ed.

I had a similar thought when I discovered ESA’s Little Pictures page—a simple yet powerful gallery that communicates key climate messages directly and efficiently.

Graphical excellence is that which gives the viewer the greatest number of ideas in the shortest time with the least ink in the smallest space. ― Edward R. Tufte, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd Ed.

Little Pictures Gallery - ESA

Exploring ESA’s Climate Data Tools

While gathering information about the contest, I explored ESA’s website and was pleasantly surprised by its resources. The platform features four key sections:

  • Evidence: Summarizing the latest climate knowledge.
  • Explore: Interactive applications for visualizing data and stories.
  • Educate: Lessons and games for professionals, students, and the general public.
  • ESA & Climate: Showcasing ESA’s climate research and initiatives.

A standout resource is Climate from Space, an interactive web application that visualizes climate changes through satellite observations. It features interactive globes, layered maps, and climate narratives that illustrate how our planet is evolving over time.

Climate from Space - ESA

The platform focuses on four climate pillars: atmosphere, land, ice, and ocean. Users can explore data on:

  • Carbon dioxide and methane levels in the atmosphere
  • Cryosphere reduction
  • Ice sheet changes
  • Glacier retreat
  • Sea ice decline
  • Rising sea levels
  • Snow cover and mass reduction

Join the Challenge

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to climate awareness through data storytelling. Take part in the challenge and share it with others!

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