9. Using ICT to monitor the Earth

Our planet is now monitored 24/7 as never before. This is because of our increasing concern about our environment and climate change.

To this end, scientific satellites orbit the Earth looking down and measuring all kinds of things, such as

• The state of the polar ice over time
• The flow of ocean currents
• The changing temperatures of the oceans
• The alarming growth of deserts
• The burning of primary jungles such as the Amazon
• The hole in the ozone layer each season
• The state of crops and greenery around the planet

There are many others as well.

The reason for all this monitoring is that nations may then agree on the best way forward (or it seems more likely they disagree!) But at least the scientific data is there for them to argue over.