The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topicDesertification is not the spread of existing deserts but the loss of a landscape's productive capacity through degradation, often due to human activities, such as overfarming or land clearance. It is a global problem, recognised as such by the United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD). Arid or dryland ecosystems across the world are at risk, which includes European territory bordering the Mediterranean. A new satellite-based service called DesertWatch offers continuous monitoring of susceptible areas.