Maps showing increased greenery offsetting some of the effects of global warming. Scientists have discovered that the extra vegetation has a cooling effect on the planet. The top map shows the Annual Leaf Index from 2000-2014. The bottom map shows the change in land surface temperature due to greening from 2000-2014. Data obtained by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?檚 Aqua satellite.