Copenhagen, Denmark

The theme for Earth Day 2014 is 'green cities.' As more and more people move to cities in search of jobs – and the reality of climate change becomes increasingly clear – the need to create sustainable communities is more important than ever. Recognized this year as the European Green Capital, Copenhagen has set a prime example with investments in sustainable technology, forward-thinking public policy and an educated and active public. The Danish city is a good model in terms of urban planning and design, and is working towards becoming carbon-neutral by the year 2025.

This SPOT-5 image was acquired 21 April 2011, with a resolution of 2.5 m.

Photo credit: Airbus Defence and Space

Shanghai

The Chinese city of Shanghai sits at the mouth of the Yangtze River where it empties into the East China Sea. To the north is Chongming Island and the smaller Changxing Island just below. These are important areas for agriculture – evident in this image by the patchwork of croplands. The dark area hugging Changxing Island is the Qingcaosha Reservoir. This SPOT-5 image was acquired on 25 June 2009, with a resolution of 10 m.

Photo credit: CNES, Spot Image, ESA