Satellites for Sustainable Development

 

When it comes to protecting the environment and tracking changes in our climate, satellites and drones have become indispensable. If only there wasn’t the issue of all that space debris… In RESET’s latest special feature, we’ve been taking a look at the potentials – and pitfalls – of satellites and drones for a sustainable future on this planet.

MethaneSAT satellite
© MethaneSAT LLC

MethaneSAT: A Climate Change Tool That’s Out of This World

Methane is one of the planet's most dangerous greenhouse gases. A new satellite—the size of a washing machine—is set to provide vital data.

© Source: H-Aero

This Helium-Powered “H-Aero” Drone Can Fly for 24 Hours

The "h-aero" is a cross between a drone and a zeppelin. It can stay in the air for up to 24 hours and enables completely new types of data collection.

GlobeWQ and Lake Victoria: How to Measure Water Quality by Satellite

Modern satellites can help us to monitor water quality in bodies of water. The world's second largest lake shows how this works.

Cucumber-inspired Drones Collect Eco Data and Dissolve Into Nature

Researchers have developed a biodegradable drone with sensors designed to gather key environmental data in hard-to-reach locations.

Rainforest Protection With Digital Solutions: “Digitalisation Makes Developments Visible So That They Can No Longer Be Negated”

We spoke to Stephan Bohn from the Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) about the extent to which digital tools and platforms have an impact on rainforest protection in Indonesia.

Meet the Specialised Automated Drone That Can Swab for DNA in the Rainforest Canopies

Biodiversity field research is never straightforward — especially in the rainforest. However, a new automated drone is looking to make things a little easier.

Interview: Can Radar Technology Help Rescue Refugees at Sea?

Every year, thousands of people drown while fleeing across the Mediterranean. A radar detector should enable sea rescuers to react more quickly. An interview with Peter Lanz.

COP27: Where Was Digitisation?

COP27's new "loss and damage" funding agreement has been hailed as a great success, but was there serious progress towards a green digital transition?

Satellite Technology Expose World’s Methane Leaks at COP27

Bloomberg has teamed up with an emissions monitoring organisation to expose the extent of methane leaks across the globe.