To provide a framework of public-health-focused air quality indicators that quantifies country trends in exposure to major air pollutants.

To provide an annual global surface of concentrations (micrograms per cubic meter) of mineral dust and sea-salt filtered fine particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller (PM2.5) in countries and urban areas for large-scale health and environmental research

To provide a high-resolution, longitudinal global data set of extreme urban heat events and urban heat exposure.

To provide data that can be used to calculate trace gas and aerosol emissions due to fires; monitor and assess national efforts to manage emissions.

To provide a global data set of average summer daytime maximum/nighttime minimum land surface temperatures (LSTs) for urban extents, as well as the LST difference between the urban area and the buffer.

To provide tabular data on the trends of chlorophyll-a concentration on a pixel by pixel basis for identifying areas with improving, declining, and stable coastal water quality that can provide guidance for decision making in the context of coastal management.

To preserve access to the original climate and land cover data used by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) and other related research.