Big news on Earth Day: Today, the U.S. joined about 170 countries in signing the Paris Agreement, an historic step to combat climate change. Here’s what President Obama has done to help ensure future generations inherit a cleaner, healthier, and safer planet.

Happy Earth Day!

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It’s Earth Day, and what better way to celebrate than to show you a glimpse of our various efforts to protect and understand our home planet.
We’re able to use the vantage point of space to improve our understanding of the most complex planet we’ve seen yet…EARTH! Our Earth-observing satellites, airborne research and field campaigns are designed to observe our planet’s dynamic systems – oceans, ice sheets, forests and atmosphere – and improve our ability to understand how our planet is changing.
Here are a few of our Earth campaigns that you should know about:
KORUS-AQ (Korea U.S. - Air Quality)
Our KORUS-AQ airborne science experiment taking to the field in South Korea is part of a long-term, international project to take air quality observations from space to the next level and better inform decisions on how to protect the air we breathe. Field missions like KORUS-AQ provide opportunities to test and improve the instruments using simulators that measure above and below aircraft, while helping to infer what people breathe at the surface.
This campaign will assess air quality across urban, rural and coastal South Korea using observations from aircraft, ground sites, ships and satellites to test air quality models and remote sensing methods.
NAAMES (North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study)
Our NAAMES study takes to the sea and air in order to study how the world’s largest plankton bloom gives rise to small organic particles that influence clouds and climate. This study will collect data during ship and aircraft measurement campaigns and combine the data with continuous satellite and ocean sensor readings.
IceBridge
Operation IceBridge is our survey of polar ice, and is kicking off its eighth spring Arctic campaign. This mission has gathered large volumes of data on changes in the elevation of the ice sheet and its internal structure. It’s readings of the thickness of sea ice and its snow cover have helped scientists improve forecasts for the summer melt season and have enhanced the understanding of variations in ice thickness distribution from year to year.
GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement)
GPM is an international satellite mission to provide next-generation observations of rain and snow worldwide every three hours. We launched this mission with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2014. GPM contributes to advancing our understanding of Earth’s water and energy cycles, improves forecasting of extreme events and extends current capabilities of using satellite precipitation information to directly benefit society.
Find information about all of our Earth-studying missions HERE.
Celebrate Earth Day with Us!
Want to participate in Earth Day with us? Share on social media what you’re doing to celebrate and improve our home planet. We’ll be sharing aspects of a “day in the life” of our Earth science research. Use the tag #24Seven to join the conversation. Details: http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-announces-earth-day-24seven-social-media-event
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

Happy Earth Day! We’re celebrating by signing the Paris Agreement to combat climate change with nearly 170 other countries—that’s the largest number of countries that have ever signed an international agreement in one day.

A changing climate could pose health risks to you and your family: worsening allergy and asthma conditions, greater risk of premature deaths due to extreme heat, earlier annual onset of Lyme disease cases in some areas, and greater risk of food contamination and water-related illnesses. Find out how you can be prepared now.

On Earth Day, the U.S. and China will both sign and join the global agreement to combat climate change. Here’s why that’s a big deal: The Paris Agreement‬ will only take effect once countries accounting for 55% of global carbon emissions formally sign and join. That goal is now well within reach because the U.S. and China account for 40% of global emissions.

The science couldn’t be clearer: Watch 150 years of climate change in 30 seconds.

“My approach to my Instagram feed continues to be all square photos are taken with an iPhone, and full-frame horizontals and verticals are taken with a DSLR (usually a Canon 5DMark3, but I’ve also posted some from Sony, Nikon and Leica cameras). Many followers have also asked if I post the photographs and captions myself. Yes, I do — and I try to read as many of your comments as I can and answer your questions.” —Pete Souza in his “Behind The Lens: My Year on Instagram 2015.” See more at go.wh.gov/BehindTheLens

“I imagine taking my grandkids, if I’m lucky enough to have some, to the park someday, and holding their hands, and hearing their laughter, and watching a quiet sunset, all the while knowing that our work today prevented an alternate future that could have been grim; that our work, here and now, gave future generations cleaner air, and cleaner water, and a more sustainable planet. And what could be more important than that?” —President Obama on the agreement just reached in Paris by nearly 200 countries to combat climate change and protect our planet for future generations

BREAKING: President Obama and world leaders just secured a historic global agreement to combat climate change. Nearly 200 countries, including China and India, have committed to reduce carbon pollution. Get the facts and tune in to watch the President speak at 5:30pm ET.

“We’ve got to come together around an ambitious framework to protect the one planet we’ve got while we still can. If we want to prevent the worst effects of climate change before it’s too late, the time to act is now. Not later, not someday, but right here and now.” —President Obama after announcing that the Keystone XL Pipeline is not in our national interest

“Because America is leading by example, 150 countries, representing over 85% of global emissions, have now laid out plans to reduce their levels of the harmful carbon pollution that warms our planet. And it gives us great momentum going into Paris this December, where the world needs to come together and build on these individual commitments with an ambitious, long-term agreement to protect this Earth for our kids.” —President Obama

Here are a few of our Earth campaigns that you should know about:

Find information about all of our Earth-studying missions HERE.

Celebrate Earth Day with Us!

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