A 7.5-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit Indonesia on 28 September, destroying homes and hundreds of lives. As the death toll continues to rise, the effects of this natural disaster are far-reaching, with hundreds of thousands of people seeking access food, water and shelter in the aftermath of this tragedy.

ESA data have been used to develop the new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Green Growth headline indicator on land-cover change.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines green growth as ‘fostering economic growth and development, while ensuring that natural assets continue to provide the resources and environmental services on which our well-being relies.'

Water is crucial to life on Earth. But today, its overexploitation and pollution present challenges for the environment, economies and global living standards. These issues are addressed by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the annual World Water Week, which runs from 26-31 August 2018 in Stockholm.

The amount of carbon stored in Earth's forests and how it is changing will be measured in the forthcoming Climate Change Initiative Biomass project, in which the legacy of GlobBiomass will be carried forward to the Sentinels' era.

To further promote scientific research and applications, ESA and a leading geo-information company have agreed to continue data acquisition from the OceanSat-2 satellite.

According to this year's Global Risk Report by the World Economic Forum, water crises are one of the five biggest risks to society. ESA is working with development banks to help water-resource authorities use information from satellites to manage this precious resource.