Explore the Evidence Behind a Changing World
Maps and data can help us ask better questions about climate, population, water and land. This directory brings together trusted, publicly accessible tools from scientific institutions and international organizations.
Choose a subject below, open the original provider’s tool, and check its date, geographic coverage and methods before using the results. A forecast, a satellite observation, a historical measurement and a future scenario answer different questions.
Air Quality
World Air Quality Index
Check current conditions
Explore reported air quality readings by monitoring station. Coverage and update times differ by location; readings displayed in real time may later be revised.
WHO Ambient Air Quality Database
Compare long-term pollution
Explore city-level measurements of annual average particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide. Use it for longer-term comparisons, not as a live air quality alert.
Weather and Climate
WMO World Weather Information Service
Check official city forecasts
Find weather forecasts and climatological information supplied by national meteorological services.
NASA POWER Data Access Viewer
Examine local weather and solar data
Select a location and explore downloadable meteorological and solar data useful for research, agriculture and energy planning. These are datasets derived from observations and models, not a local weather warning service.
Copernicus Interactive Climate Atlas
Compare past and future climate
Explore temperature, precipitation and other climate variables through observations, reanalysis and projections.
IPCC Interactive Atlas
Examine climate scenarios
Investigate observed and projected regional climate change under different periods and warming levels. Projections describe possible outcomes under stated assumptions; they are not precise predictions for an individual site.
Satellite Observations and Hazards
NASA Worldview
View Earth from space
Browse satellite imagery and environmental layers, compare dates and investigate events such as dust, smoke and changes in surface conditions.
Copernicus Browser
Inspect satellite images of a place
Search, compare and visualize satellite imagery for an area of interest. A free account is required to use the Browser.
NASA FIRMS
Locate satellite-detected fires
View active fire and hotspot detections on an interactive map. A detected hotspot is a satellite observation and should not by itself be interpreted as the measured boundary of a fire.
Water and Land
Global Surface Water Explorer
Track changes in surface water
Explore where surface water has appeared, persisted or changed over time using satellite-derived maps. It does not measure groundwater or guarantee that visible water is safe to use.
WRI Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas
Explore water risk
Compare mapped indicators of water stress, drought, flooding and other water-related risks. These are screening indicators; a local project still needs site-specific assessment.
FAO WaPOR
Study agricultural water productivity
Explore open satellite-derived data on water use and agricultural productivity, including coverage relevant to the Near East.
Global Forest Watch
Explore forest change
Inspect maps and data on tree cover and forest change. Check each layer’s definition before interpreting a change as deforestation or applying it to sparsely wooded landscapes.
Population and Urban Change
UN World Population Prospects
Explore demographic trends
Examine population estimates, age structures and projections. Compare projection variants rather than treating one future figure as certain.
UN World Urbanization Prospects
Explore cities and settlement change
Use interactive maps and data to examine urban and rural populations and changes in cities over time.
How to Use These Tools Responsibly
Check the date: “Current,” historical and projected data refer to different time periods.
Check the scale: A global map may not resolve conditions at a village, field or street.
Check the source: Satellite estimates, monitoring stations, models and surveys use different methods.
Compare evidence: Use more than one source for consequential conclusions, and include field knowledge where possible.
Climate & Population links to tools operated by their original providers. Data, methods, coverage and availability remain under those providers’ control.