The Earth is rebelling: extreme weather events are on the increase, more and more people throughout the world are suffering from the consequences. In future, Germany will also have to prepare itself for heat-waves, storms and extreme precipitation. The climate is changing – and presenting mankind with enormous challenges. If we succeed in understanding the planet and its climate better and even predicting its development, we can prepare and protect ourselves more effectively against the risks these developments bring. This is why the Earth is being monitored: using various Earth observation systems, data is being gathered to obtain new insights into our planet, storms, floods, droughts and melting ice. But collecting such enormous volumes of data is both a curse and a blessing. Can we really protect ourselves against the consequences of climate change by observing the Earth?