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
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CO2 measurements over the Northern Hemisphere obtained at the Earth’s surface (thin lines) from Envisat’s SCIAMACHY instrument (thick yellow line and two northern hemispheric maps). This figure highlights the natural fluxes of CO2 which, unlike manmade CO2 fluxes, operate in both directions – taking up atmospheric CO2 during spring and summer when plants grow, but releasing most or all of it again later in the year, when the plants decay. This results in higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations in the first half of a year followed by lower CO2 during the second half of a year with a minimum around August.