Urban and rainforest regions in Brazil

The winning ‘Little Picture’, created by scientific illustrator Sacha Berna of the University of Caen, France, highlights the expansion of Brazil’s urban area between 2000-2015 and compared it to the changes in rainforest coverage.

To create the Little Picture, Sacha drew on satellite-derived land cover information generated by ESA’s Climate Change Initiative. Land cover – the bio-physical surface of the Earth’s land area – and its change over time is known to influence regional and global climate by modifying exchange of water, energy and greenhouse gases with the atmosphere. It is considered to be one of just 54 key variables used to characterise the Earth climate system.

Access the full Little Pictures of Climate gallery