Full Report
In this first of two guides on visualising climate, conflict, and displacement data, we’ll show you how to turn raw climate data into visualisations using NASA’s Giovanni tool. In part two, we’ll focus on bringing in conflict and displacement data. Climate change, conflict, and displacement are increasingly interconnected. As extreme weather events increase, resources grow scarce, intensifying […] The post The Story of a Storm – Part 1: Visualising Climate Data with NASA’s Giovanni Tool appeared first on bellingcat.
Analysis Summary
# Main Topic
Analysis and visualization of the interconnectedness between climate change, conflict, and displacement, focusing specifically on using NASA's Giovanni tool to process and visualize raw climate data for investigative purposes.
## Key Points
- Climate change, conflict, and displacement are increasingly interconnected phenomena, where extreme weather exacerbates resource scarcity, fueling social and political instability.
- Data visualization is presented as a critical tool for investigators to understand cascading risks, conflict hotspots, and the impacts of climate events on populations.
- The article introduces **Part 1** of a guide series, focusing exclusively on visualizing climate data using a specific tool.
- Case examples highlighting the intersection include:
- Ukraine: Harsh winters amplifying challenges for communities already burdened by war ("cold spots").
- Sudan: Heavy rains causing the Arbaat Dam collapse, turning displacement into multi-faceted disaster for conflict-affected families.
- Cyclone Kenneth (April 2019): A Category 4 cyclone compounding humanitarian crises in already conflict-affected Cabo Delgado.
- Key investigative questions to frame climate analysis include defining the event, spatial/temporal boundaries, and relevant climate indicators (e.g., precipitation, temperature anomalies).
## Threat Actors
- Not applicable. This report focuses on environmental hazards, infrastructural failures, and geopolitical conflicts; it does not identify specific cyber threat actors, criminal organizations, or state-sponsored groups involved in digital intrusion.
## TTPs
- Not applicable. This section focuses on the technical methodology for data display rather than offensive tradecraft.
- **Climate-Related Hazard TTPs (Examples Cited):** Extreme weather events (cyclones, heavy rains, extreme temperatures), infrastructural failure (dam collapse), and resultant displacement/food insecurity.
## Affected Systems
- **Data Processing Tool:** NASA’s Giovanni (Geospatial Interactive Online Visualisation and Analysis Infrastructure).
- **Data Source Used:** NASA Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) dataset for visualizing rainfall patterns.
- **Infrastructure Affected:** Physical infrastructure (e.g., Arbaat Dam in Sudan).
- **Affected Populations:** Communities facing displacement due to conflict, the elderly, and displaced populations in climate-vulnerable areas (e.g., Ukraine's "cold spots," Cabo Delgado).
## Mitigations
- **Analytical/Investigative Mitigation:** Utilizing data visualization tools like NASA's Giovanni to clearly map and communicate the spatial-temporal footprints of climate disasters and their intersection with conflict.
- **Data Access/Setup:** Registering for a free user account to access Giovanni's full functions.
- **Data Selection:** Selecting appropriate climate indicators (e.g., GPM data for precipitation) based on the investigative questions framed.
## Conclusion
The primary focus of this intelligence document (Part 1) is methodological: enabling investigators to leverage free, powerful tools like NASA's Giovanni to transform raw Earth science observations into visual narratives that demonstrate the tangible links between climate hazards and ongoing human crises (conflict and displacement). The lack of cybersecurity IoCs or threat actor attribution suggests this is a piece of socio-political risk intelligence, not traditional cyber threat intelligence. Investigators are advised to systematically define their scope before applying tools like Giovanni to climate-related risk assessments.