Satellite mapping reveals a global bloom in greenhouse cultivation

We have long become accustomed to enjoying tomatoes, cucumbers, berries and melons year-round. In Europe, most of these imports come from Spain, where millions of tons of fruit and vegetables are grown under seas of white plastic that span the southern part of the country.Globally, greenhouse cultivation is increasing rapidly, according to a new study from the University of Copenhagen that maps the global extent of greenhouses. But the majority of this boom is happening outside of Europe, it is taking place in low- and middle-income countries in the Global South.Using a combination of deep learning algorithms and modern sources of satellite imagery, the researchers mapped the amount of land used for greenhouse cultivation worldwide. Their mapping shows that greenhouse cultivation—whether it takes place in glass houses or open fields wrapped in plastic films—covers at least 1.3 million hectares of the Earth's surface. The new figure is nearly three times more than previous ...