Using satellite data to develop environmental indicators

Abstract

Environmental indicators are increasingly being used in policy and management contexts, yet serious data deficiencies exist for many parameters of interest to environmental decision making. With its global synoptic coverage and the wide range of instruments available, satellite remote sensing has the potential to fill a number of these gaps, yet their potential contribution to indicator development has largely remained untested. In this paper we present results of a pilot effort to develop satellite-derived indicators in three major issue areas: ambient air pollution, coastal eutrophication, and biomass burning. A primary focus is on the vetting of indicators by an advisory group composed of remote sensing scientists and policy makers.

Keywords

• remote sensing
• environmental indicators
• sustainability
• air quality
• ocean color
• biomass burning