Latest news with #GoogleEarthEngine
Egypt Independent
3 days ago
- Science
- Egypt Independent
Sewilam discusses using satellites and modern tools to monitor water hyacinth
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam held a meeting with senior officials from the ministry to discuss the use of satellite technology and modern tools for monitoring and managing the spread of water hyacinth and aquatic weeds in the country's waterways. During the meeting, the team presented a new application developed on the Google Earth Engine platform, a cloud-based geospatial processing platform that enables the use of satellite imagery to create a variety of data-processing applications. The app allows high-speed, cost-effective and highly accurate monitoring of aquatic plants through satellite image analysis. The application automatically identifies watercourses using various spectral indices designed to extract water bodies from satellite images. Sewilam asserted the importance of leveraging modern technology to support the ministry's work and optimize the management of water resources. He noted that the ability to continuously monitor the spread of water hyacinth and other aquatic weeds through satellite-based tools would allow ministry officials to take swift and informed decisions to manage and remove these invasive species. The application also plays a crucial role in ensuring transparency by detecting any potential manipulation in work reports or discrepancies in the recorded volumes of removed vegetation during cleaning operations, he said.
Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Pinpointing Pollution (Part 1) — The Mpumalanga town where South Africans suffer most
Thubelihle, a township in Mpumalanga, appears unremarkable on a map — until the layers are added: coal plants, population density, lack of healthcare and clouds of ash. It's here that our geo-journalism investigation reveals how pollution settles hardest where people are most vulnerable. While Eskom contemplates the costs and implications of compliance with minimum emission standards and out-of-touch politicians extol the virtue of coal as an unblemished boon for South Africa and communities in Mpumalanga, ordinary men, women and children are denied their Section 24(b) Constitutional rights. In the coal-rich heartlands of Mpumalanga, South Africa, residents breathe some of the world's most polluted air. This reality is felt most acutely in Thubelihle, a community of about 20,000 within eyesight of Eskom's Kriel and Matla Power Stations, and ringed by numerous mines. Using Google Earth Engine, Daily Maverick layered satellite-derived pollution exposure data with indicators of vulnerability, including poverty, lack of healthcare access and proximity to emissions sources, to identify one of South Africa's most at-risk communities. Thubelihle, our analysis shows, is at the confluence of severe air pollution, fly ash waste carried on winds and levels of socioeconomic and infrastructural deprivation that arguably make this Mpumalanga community among the most vulnerable to the silent killer that is air pollution. But the small community is not an isolated case. This geo-journalism project points to a broader national crisis where data and lived experience reveal the constitutional failure to secure clean air for millions of people across South Africa. The power of the map lies in what it revealed before a single interview was conducted. Before we arrived in Thubelihle, the data told us that this community was not just heavily polluted — it was structurally disadvantaged in ways that compound that pollution's harm. On the ground and in person with these ordinary men, women and children who call Thubelihle home, Daily Maverick was given an unvarnished and ultimately woeful account of daily life under a polluted sky. 'The air is very dirty. It's very dirty,' said resident Thandeka Hlatshwayo. 'Very, very dirty,' she emphasised pointedly, saying that, 'It's [badly] affecting us. It's like ash,' in between coughing fits. 'I'm very, very sick,' she said as she burst into another wracking coughing fit. Alongside her, Zinhle Zungu, Thembisile Silwambane and Sweetness Gininda, speaking in unison, told Daily Maverick that it was extremely common in the community for people to have respiratory problems and illnesses. If 100 people from the community were gathered, 95 would probably have respiratory complications and suffer from constant ill health, Zungu speculated. In a community of more than 20,000 people, there is only one clinic available with an average waiting time of at least two to three hours. The other options are to either make the nearly one-hour journey to eMalahleni if they're lucky enough to have access to a car or to a GP in nearby Kriel; both expensive and suboptimal propositions for a community where employment is scarce and money is tight. The Thubelihle Community Health Centre – the community's sole healthcare facility – is visibly under-resourced. Staff there declined to comment on illness trends without provincial authorisation – a refusal that echoes systemic dysfunction in public health transparency and responsiveness. Asked how often they go to the clinic, Hlatshwayo said, 'Me, I think not even monthly. Maybe a week, three or four times [per week].' Gininda said, 'The ash and pollution are very, very dangerous because even if you are here with your car, the ash is coming, you can check [how particulate matter settles on the car]. Every time in the morning, if your car is outside, you will see the ash from Eskom, especially Eskom, every morning. Every morning.' 'So we even don't benefit to what Eskom [is doing] because we are living here at Thubelihle, but we don't work. Even the mines, they are affecting us. We are coughing, we are going to the clinic, so we really don't know who we must talk to or who will assist us because we are really affected by these mines and Eskom,' she said. 'We are suffering every day. Every day.' Asked about a neat pile of coal in the yard, Zungu said 'we are using it [for cooking and heating]' because, Thembisile added, 'there is no electricity this side', despite the Kriel Power Station within eyesight. 'Imagine you've got a sick child and you don't know how to help the child, when you go to the clinic at some point you don't receive the medication. There is no medication so we are forced to have medical aid or maybe always have some cash on your side so you can cover the child in case of the emergency, so now you can't even do that because there is no job, you can't afford to do that. You can't afford to do anything. Some of us are the breadwinners, so if I'm not working, then everything is standing still. It's not workable,' said Zungu. 'Yoh, it is so difficult to stay here in Kriel,' added Gininda. 'Even the eyes,' said Silwambane, 'the air is affecting the eyes. Every day you wake up in the morning with a sore throat. Every day.' Zungu said, 'And at some point you don't even know how to to approach this matter, because you'll find some of the community members, if they get affected by the mines or something like that and if they go and approach [the] mine in terms of like 'man, you need to do what's right by us', then you'll get the community members being shot at by the police. Like there is no help at all. There's no help.' Asked what they thought would be workable solutions, Gininda said jobs and greater engagement from Eskom and the mines in the area would go a long way. 'At least if they give us jobs … then we can afford to go … to the doctors.' 'The first problem is air pollution. The second one is unemployment. Kriel is a very small town; we should be working, all of us. We shouldn't have this issue of all of us not working here. We have a lot of mines and two power stations surrounding us, but we are crying still,' said Zungu. Science behind the suffering But just how bad is living a few kilometres from two coal-fired power stations and at least three mines? Dr Jamie Kelly is the lead of the Health Impact Assessment team at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea), an independent research organisation focused on revealing the trends, causes and health impacts, as well as the solutions to air pollution. 'Among the various pollutants emitted by Eskom's coal-fired power stations, sulphur dioxide (SO₂) stands out as having the greatest impact on public health and air quality,' said Kelly. This is due to two main reasons. 'SO₂ is directly harmful to human health. It is a toxic gas that irritates the respiratory system, contributing to asthma attacks, bronchitis and other lung diseases. Children, the elderly and those with existing health conditions are particularly vulnerable.' Moreover, 'SO₂ leads to the formation of PM2.5, a deadlier pollutant. In the atmosphere, SO₂ undergoes chemical reactions to form fine particulate matter (PM2.5) – tiny particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream. PM2.5 is widely regarded as the most dangerous air pollutant for human health, linked to heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer and premature death.' 'Importantly,' Kelly stressed, 'both SO₂ and the PM2.5 it forms can travel long distances, often hundreds of kilometres from the source. This means emissions from a single plant can affect not only the surrounding communities, but also people living far beyond the plant's immediate vicinity, across provinces and even national borders.' Asked how Eskom's noncompliance with minimum emission standards (MES) translates into public health outcomes, Kelly told Daily Maverick, ' According to our 2023 study, emissions from Eskom's coal fleet are projected to cause approximately 79,500 air pollution-related deaths between 2025 and the eventual decommissioning of the plants. However, if Eskom were to meet the legally mandated MES, this number would fall to 34,000 deaths over the same period.' 'This means that continued non-compliance is projected to cause an additional 45,000 premature deaths – avoidable harm directly linked to excess emissions of pollutants like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).' Daily Maverick previously reported that Eskom CEO Dan Marokane told members of Parliament in June that it could cost the South African taxpayer up to R257-billion for the necessary upgrades for Eskom to meet government-mandated MES. Compliance, in this way, could translate into the equivalent of up to a 10% tariff increase. This revelation was preceded by Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dion George's granting of limited exemptions from minimum emission standards for eight of Eskom's coal-fired power stations in March 2025. In seeming confirmation of Daily Maverick's independent mapping exercise, Eskom's presentation to Parliament in June noted that Kriel Power Station did not meet minimum emissions standards for particulate matter. The exemptions granted by the minister, as Daily Maverick reported, came with 'strict' conditions, including emission reduction measures and health interventions. Among these: Eskom must deploy air quality monitoring stations and a data-free alert app within eight months, appoint an environmental health specialist within three months and extend community health screening programmes within six months. Mobile clinics and greenspace initiatives should further support affected communities; real-time emissions data must be published immediately, with additional monitoring stations installed within 12 months. 'Eskom significantly inflated cost estimates' Dr Kelly told Daily Maverick that despite Eskom's claims of extreme costs to meet compliance, 'Eskom has significantly inflated its cost estimates, leading to the misleading conclusion that compliance is unaffordable. 'This conclusion is based on flawed assumptions: Eskom uses inaccurate data on pollution control costs; it makes unrealistic assumptions about how many plants would require retrofitting; it fails to account for the fact that SO₂ standards have been weakened, reducing the scale of intervention needed.' 'Together,' he said, 'these distortions lead to grossly exaggerated cost projections – masking the reality that compliance is both feasible and economically justified when the public health benefits are properly considered.' The costs of compliance are felt either way, whether borne directly by taxpayers via Eskom or the costs to human health and lost economic productivity, as Dr Lwando Maki, President of the Public Health Association of South Africa (Phasa), explained. 'It is estimated here that the total quantifiable economic cost of air pollution from coal-fired generation in South Africa is in the region of $2.37-billion (R43-billion) annually. This is made up of impacts in terms of early death, chronic bronchitis, hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular disease and a variety of minor conditions leading to restrictions on daily activity, including lost productivity.' 'Air pollution is considered a silent public health emergency; it is responsible for eight million premature deaths globally each year, and it accounts for about a quarter of heart attack deaths and a third of all deaths from stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,' said Maki. 'Eskom not the only pollution source' Though Eskom is undoubtedly a major contributor, it would be incorrect to assign all air pollution in Mpumalanga and beyond to the utilities' activities, Professor Rebecca Garland explained. Garland is an associate professor in the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics & Meteorology at the University of Pretoria. She has a background in atmospheric science, with a focus on air quality and climate change. In an interview with Daily Maverick, Garland explained that while Eskom and the broader coal value chain in Mpumalanga were large contributors to the state of the air pollution in Mpumalanga and beyond, that was not the whole story. 'Eskom does make some primary particles that may form in their stack, but they also contribute to secondary particles. That said, a lot of our exceedances are driven by ozone and particulate matter. There's a lot of sources from both of them as well, but Eskom is definitely one of them,' said Garland. 'So if we're talking only about what they are emitting, because of course, the coal sector as a whole, with the mining and everything, that's much larger. What Eskom is emitting itself, the most work has been done on particulate matter, and because they emit so high up, they contribute a small amount to what we breathe, but because they emit high up, it impacts a larger area a little bit.' 'All of the modelling shows that they (Eskom) contribute a little bit in a wide area to particulate matter. So that's one of the reasons why the numbers get quite big [for] the health impacts because it impacts a larger area.' Garland said, 'The things that are emitted at the ground are the things that also impact health directly. The ground-level sources, such as burning coal in one's house, burning wood in one's house, traffic, vehicles and such, because they're right where we inhale them, they generally will dominate the exposure of people.' She said really tall stacks were 'designed to disperse pollutants'. 'So, it is good in the one sense that nobody gets a large amount of pollution, a large amount of particulate matter, but it's dispersed over a larger area. If individuals think about what dominates, what they breathe, it isn't only Eskom. It contributes to it, but there are so many sources of pollution.' Garland said, 'PM levels are highest in low-income settlements… and urban areas, the areas with high industry as well would have high pollutants, which pollutant would depend upon the industries that are there themselves.' In other words, the smoke, ash and particulate matter that hang in Thubelihle's air come from many sources, but it is the people who live here who pay the price. You can see and hear from these people in Part 2 of this story here. DM
Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Pinpointing Pollution (Part 3): Mapping SA's most at-risk communities
Using Google Earth Engine, Daily Maverick layered satellite-derived pollution exposure data with indicators of vulnerability, including poverty, lack of healthcare access and proximity to emissions sources, to identify one of South Africa's most at-risk communities. South Africa's reliance on coal-fired power stations has long fuelled economic growth, but it also exacts a heavy toll on the environment and public health. To uncover where pollution is most severe and which communities are bearing the brunt, we turned to geojournalism: combining environmental data with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools to visualise and analyse complex interactions on a map. Mapping the data We layered six key datasets over satellite imagery of South Africa to see how pollution overlaps with population, schools, and healthcare access: Each layer was carefully prepared and integrated using GIS software to ensure alignment and accuracy. Finding the pollution hotspots Focusing on Mpumalanga, home to many coal plants, we performed a hotspot analysis to identify clusters of significantly high pollution levels within 30km of power stations. This analysis revealed that the region between the Kriel and Matla coal-fired power stations stands out as the most polluted area in South Africa. Additional smaller hotspots around other plants, like Lethabo, were noted but were less intense. Pollution meets population and public services Overlaying population density data showed that a significant number of residents live within the pollution hotspot. Multiple schools are located in this area, including some in close proximity to power plants. Access to healthcare in this region is limited; residents typically have to travel several kilometres to reach clinics, and hospitals are located even further away, leaving communities particularly vulnerable. Thubelihle stands out as one of the worst-affected communities because it is densely populated and lies very close to the Kriel power station, which has some of the highest measured particulate matter pollution levels. Moreover, Thubelihle has limited healthcare infrastructure, forcing residents to travel long distances for hospital care. Combined with the presence of schools nearby, this makes the community especially exposed to the harmful effects of coal pollution. Eskom's emission challenges Our findings echo concerns raised recently in Parliament. Eskom itself acknowledged that the Kriel power station fails to meet minimum emission standards for particulate matter, highlighting the health risks faced by communities nearby. However, pollution here is not solely from Eskom's operations. Coal mining activities, heavy transport and household coal burning also contribute significantly to air quality issues in the region. Why this matters By combining environmental data, population statistics and locations of critical infrastructure, geojournalism paints a vivid picture of who is most affected by South Africa's coal pollution crisis. Children attending schools near power plants, communities far from healthcare and densely populated wards all intersect in this hotspot, underscoring urgent needs for policy action and environmental justice. DM
Hindustan Times
01-08-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
AI for climate resilience and environmental monitoring
India navigates the twin frontiers of our time, which are escalating the climate crisis and a fast-evolving technological revolution. It holds a powerful opportunity to lead the world in crafting climate resilience through Artificial Intelligence (AI). With the nation co-chairing major AI-environment task forces at the UN and G20, this is more than a moment of influence; it is a call to action. AI, when paired with satellite data, can be our eyes in the sky and our early warning system on the ground for tracking deforestation in real time, predicting floods before they strike, and holding polluters accountable with data-driven precision. But to unlock this promise, we must build a framework that is not just tech-savvy but also just, transparent, and accessible to all. The future of climate action is digital, and India has the chance to code it right. AI(REUTERS) According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and other UN organisations, India suffers an estimated annual loss of around $87 billion due to climate-related disasters, which is a staggering figure that underscores the urgency of predictive and preventive climate action. From heatwaves in Delhi to deadly cyclones along the eastern coast, the impact is felt in each part of the nation with growing intensity. In this situation, AI, when used with remote sensing technologies and geospatial satellite data, can lead to a transformative change. AI can be a silent watcher, keeping an eye on ecosystems in real time and spotting illegal logging, shrinking mangroves, glacier retreat, and forest fires with unmatched speed and accuracy. Tools such as Google Earth Engine, along with indigenous systems like India's Bhuvan and RISAT satellites, generate the crucial data, which AI algorithms may swiftly process to flag environmental threats. Beyond this monitoring, the Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models can reimagine the manner in which we predict disasters today by analysing historical weather trends, soil conditions, and atmospheric changes to forecast floods, landslides, and cyclones, saving thousands of lives. AI is enhancing emissions tracking by monitoring pollution from factories, traffic, and agricultural practices in near real-time, which will ensure India's carbon accounting remains accurate and aligned with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. While AI holds great promise for climate resilience, making it a reality takes more than just technology and data. It demands a supportive ecosystem, one that includes real-world pilots, forward-looking policies, inclusive economic planning, and strong collaboration across sectors. Several promising case studies and strategic pathways show how India can lead by example. In Tamil Nadu, an AI-based flood forecasting model has already helped predict urban flooding with greater accuracy, aiding disaster preparedness in Chennai. AI-powered systems, like the one launched in the Pench Tiger Reserve Pantera in Maharashtra, can distinguish between smoke and clouds, reducing false alarms. These systems use infrared technology to detect fires both day and night, enabling 24x7 monitoring. AI is transforming emission tracking and climate resilience globally, from India's AI flood forecasting in Tamil Nadu and fire detection in Maharashtra to G20 innovations like the US's electric vehicles and Brazil's AI-driven deforestation monitoring, highlighting the need for supportive policies and cross-sector collaborations. In parallel, India can spearhead South-South collaboration to tailor AI models for tropical, drought-prone, and monsoon-affected landscapes. Under the G20's push for inclusive AI governance, building a Global South Working Group and a shared AI knowledge hub can democratise access to computing resources, datasets and regulatory best practices. Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi outlined India's AI vision at the G20, one that promotes inclusivity and global equity in addition to innovation. In order to guarantee that AI development is open, equitable, and available to all countries, not just a select few, he urged the establishment of strong international standards. According to Modi, ethical AI governance must put developing nations' particular needs first, enabling them to overcome historical obstacles and advance sustainable development, renewable energy, and climate resilience. To translate the promise of AI into a tangible impact for climate resilience, India must take a multi-pronged approach. First, integrating AI into national climate policy is crucial. Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), such as those focused on Himalayan ecosystems and sustainable agriculture, offer fertile ground for AI-powered scale-ups. With tools like satellite imaging, predictive analytics, and remote sensing, these missions can benefit from sharper decision-making and real-time responsiveness. Second, institutional capacity must be strengthened. Platforms like NITI Aayog, IndiaAI, the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), and NEERI's Sustainovate 2025 can catalyse mentorship and scalable innovation. Third, India must actively launch supportive pilots and regulatory frameworks. Successful models like AI-led flood forecasting in Chennai, heat vulnerability mapping in Delhi, and wildfire detection in the Pench Reserve must be scaled across other states through inclusive funding and smart governance mechanisms. Equally important is the need to safeguard transparency and equity. This means building open-access AI data ecosystems, mandating climate impact disclosures, embedding community-driven indices into AI decision frameworks, and ensuring that marginalised groups are neither excluded nor further disadvantaged. Finally, India must champion South–South collaboration. By operationalising PM Modi's G20 satellite mission proposal, India can help pool sensing, processing, and AI resources to create a shared digital public good for the Global South. This will not only democratise access to cutting-edge climate technologies but also foster a more equitable, cooperative, and resilient planetary future. Innovation alone is not enough; it must be backed by strong institutional will. For India to lead in AI-driven climate resilience, it must take decisive policy steps. First, the government should incentivise the development of clean and sustainable AI infrastructure through targeted subsidies, green procurement policies, and energy-efficient data centres. Second, fostering cross-border AI collaboration through platforms like the G20, GPAI, and South–South partnerships is essential to share knowledge, tools, and technologies tailored to diverse climatic challenges. Finally, India must embed data justice into its AI frameworks by ensuring that socio-environmental equity becomes a foundational principle in AI design, deployment, and governance. The future of climate action is digital, and India now stands at a pivotal moment to code that future with foresight, fairness, and purpose. This article is authored by Tauseef Alam, research lead, Rajya Sabha and Zainab Fatima, student, Banaras Hindu University.
Engadget
31-07-2025
- Science
- Engadget
Google's 'virtual satellite' AI model can provide a near real-time view of Earth
Google has introduced a new AI model called AlphaEarth Foundations that it says can function like a "virtual satellite." The model uses a system called "embedding," which works by taking big volumes of pubic information from various sources every day, such as optical satellites, radars and climate simulations, and then combining them all together. It then divides lands and coastal waters into 10x10 meter squares, which it then analyzes and tracks over time. As Wired explains, these squares are color-coded to indicate different characteristics, such as vegetation types and material properties. The company said AlphaEarth Foundations makes its data easy to use by creating what it calls "highly compact summary" for each square of land or coastal water it monitors. These compact summaries apparently need 16 times less storage compared to those produced by comparable AI systems, thereby reducing costs needed for Earth observation. So what exactly can the model's data be used for? Google explained that scientists can use the model to create detailed maps on demand for multiple purposes, such as to monitor crop health or to track deforestation. In its announcement, the company claimed that the model excelled at a wide range of tasks over different time periods when it was tested. "AlphaEarth Foundations represents a significant step forward in understanding the state and dynamics of our changing planet," Google wrote. The company gave over 50 organizations access to the model's Satellite Embedding dataset, a collection of its annual embeddings, to test its use in real world applications over the past year. Now, it has released the dataset in Google Earth Engine so that other scientists can use it for their own research.
