It’s important to set up your working environment and familiarize yourself with the essential tools. This section will guide you through the process of setting up Google Earth Engine (GEE) alongside general preprocessing steps often done with tools like ArcGIS Pro and QGIS. Additionally, we’ll provide links to useful resources for a smooth start into these topics.

Preparing Your Environment

Impact chain assessments often begin with preprocessing data using desktop GIS software such as QGIS or ArcGIS Pro. These tools are invaluable for:

  • Reprojecting datasets to a common coordinate system.
  • Clipping layers to the study area extent.
  • Performing basic geoprocessing, such as merging or splitting datasets.

Once your data is preprocessed, you can seamlessly integrate it into Google Earth Engine for advanced analysis and visualization.

Getting Started with Google Earth Engine (GEE)

Google Earth Engine (GEE) is a powerful platform for geospatial analysis, offering cloud-based processing capabilities for large datasets. Follow these steps to get started:

  1. Sign up for GEE: Visit the Google Earth Engine website and sign up for access. Approval may take a few days.
  2. Explore the Code Editor: Once approved, log in to the GEE Code Editor. Familiarize yourself with its interface and key features.
  3. Install GEE API: For Python users, install the GEE Python API using the command:
    4. pip install earthengine-api
  4. Authenticate: Authenticate your account by running the following command and following the prompts:
    5. earthengine authenticate

For additional details, consult the GEE Developer Guide.

Useful Resources

Below are some resources to enhance your geospatial workflow: