MapBiomas uses Google Earth Engine to process decades of Landsat satellite imagery, producing annual land use and land cover maps at 30-meter resolution for all of Brazil. The data covers deforestation, regeneration, wildfires, water levels, and crop areas — all freely available.
Originally built for Brazil, MapBiomas has expanded to 14 countries across South America and Indonesia. The platform prompted over 8,000 enforcement actions against illegal deforestation and was recognized by the Skoll Foundation for social entrepreneurship.
MapBiomas provides the most detailed spatial database of land use in any country in the world. Prosecutors use it as evidence in environmental crime cases. Researchers use it to track ecosystem change over decades. The open-source, collaborative model means the technology transfers freely — unlike proprietary satellite analytics platforms.