How Earth Observation Technology can be used for Climate Change

Earth Observation (EO) refers to collecting information about both natural and artificial activities on Earth, including related to physical, chemical, biological and anthropogenic (human) systems. This information can be captured throughboth remote sensing technologies and “in-situ” data sources.

This technology can be used for more than just producing impressive images of earth. It can address global challenges; offering data-driven solutions to complex problems in sustainability, disaster management, and resource optimization.

It allows us to monitor the planets vital signs, elucidate relationships between people and the planet and provide valuable insights for leaders across sectors.

This technology is about to become mainstream. In just two years, from 2021 to 2023, the EO industry grew by more than 21%. By 2030, the economic value of Earth insights could exceed $700 billion (nominal US dollars) and could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2 gigatonnes annually - which is equivalent to approximately 3.6% of annual global emissions today.

Most of this value (94%) is projected to come from downstream applications in industry - agriculture; electricity and utilities; government, public and emergency services; insurance and financial services; mining, oil and gas; and supply chain and transport.

From a sustainability perspective, advances in EO technology can help illuminate our pathways and strategies to net zero and can inform action on nature and biodiversity protection. This includes leveraging satellites, drones, and ground-based sensors to undertake climate and environmental monitoring and disaster management.

To help demonstrate this, I’ve included a few use cases, as highlighted below:

Undertake Climate and Environmental Monitoring

Earth Observation (EO) technology is revolutionizing climate and environmental monitoring, offering unparalleled insights into the planet’s vital signs. From tracking climate change impacts to optimizing supply chains, these use cases highlight how EO can drive actionable solutions for sustainability and resilience.

Use Case: Tracking Climate Change and undertaking Vulnerability Analysis

Satellites monitor global temperature changes, sea level rise, ice cover, and greenhouse gas emissions, which help to understand and mitigate climate impacts, as well as, characterise and assess the risks posed by climate and nature changes and other hazards that may materially impact people, infrastructure and operations. For example, EO can be used to better characterize wildfire risk and to spot wildfires faster. Following the Australian bushfires in 2020 - which cost an estimated 30 lives and devastated an area equivalent to the United Kingdom - researchers estimated that early warnings could reduce the area of land affected by up to 16%. Economic benefits from avoiding property damage alone are significant. In addition to preserving lives, livelihoods and natural ecosystems, preventing or extinguishing fires before they spread can greatly limit the amount of CO2 released from combustion.

Use Case: Observe and Measure Deforestation and Biodiversity

Observing forest cover and ecosystem health supports conservation efforts and tracks deforestation hotspots. EO has been shown to be used as an effective tool to detect illegal deforestation and inform action to stop or slow it. Slowing deforestation can avoid direct carbon emissions and maintain carbon sinks while helping businesses to avoid fines and strengthen their position in sustainable finance markets.

Use Case: Environmental Impact Monitoring

EO provides a trusted, third-party source to measure environmental impacts and help verify environmental commitments and mandates. An example of this is in the use of satellites and aircraft-borne sensors to monitor GHGs like CO2 and methane. The increasing precision of these platforms has been demonstrated to pinpoint emissions sources like oil and gas pipeline leaks. This can have such a big impact that the International Energy Agency estimates that oil and gas companies can reduce almost 45% of methane emissions from operations at no net cost.

Methane accounts for about 16% of global emissions, trailing only CO2. However, it is considerably more potent than CO2, creating 80 times the 20-year warming effect in the atmosphere. Data from MethaneSAT, a recently launched satellite that pinpoints and measures methane emissions will be published free of charge, enabling fast data turnaround and actionable intelligence throughanalyses on platforms such as Google Earth Engine. Once this data is analysed, the results will provide regulators, industry leaders, lawmakers and the public with the information needed to motivate and enable action to curb emissions.

Use Case: Supply Chain Route Optimisation

EO can be used to optimize transport routes in concert with GNSS data by detecting potential environmental disruptions and offering alternatives based on environmental impact. For example, EO, in conjunction with GNSS technology can be used to dynamically plan and optimize shipping routes. The Finnish Meteorological Office uses data from the EU’s Copernicus programme to help ships navigate icy seas. And, Increased route efficiency means shipping companies can lower fuel consumption by up to 3%, resulting in reduced costs and direct abatement of GHG emissions.

EO Technology can also be used for disaster management as an early warning system as well as response determination.

Disaster Management

Earth Observation (EO) technology enhances disaster management by providing real-time early warnings and post-disaster assessments to improve response and recovery efforts.

Use Case: Early Warning Systems

Real-time data supports better forecasting of extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods and wildfires with more speed and accuracy. This helps to bolster planning, response and recovery, post disaster.

Use Case: Post-Disaster Assessment

Rapid mapping of affected areas assists in directing emergency response both during the disaster event as well as recovery efforts afterwards.

As shown by the use cases above, there is a lot of value to be gained from EO technology, particularly because new EO satellites, advanced sensors and complementary computing capabilities are continuing to push the envelope of what is possible with EO data. But whilst EO is an extraordinary tool for creating both economic value and positive environmental impact, maximizing its value depends on a dramatic increase in end-user adoption.

That being said servicing the potential demand for EO remains a challenge to support end user adoption. Key barriers include limited awareness of EO applications, a shortage of specialized talent, fragmented standards, and difficulty navigating the complex EO data and services marketplace. There are likely many reasons these barriers have persisted, including that the commercial EO industry was influenced heavily by government. The business models to enable commercial adoption will look quite different.

Conclusion

Earth Observation (EO) technology stands at the forefront of addressing global challenges, from mitigating climate impacts to optimizing resource use and responding to disasters. Companies like OroraTech are accelerating this transformation, using EO to tackle critical issues like wildfire detection, biodiversity monitoring, and emission reduction. With their innovative satellite systems and advanced analytics, OroraTech exemplifies how private-sector ingenuity is driving EO into the mainstream.

However, for EO to achieve its full potential—estimated to surpass $700 billion in economic value by 2030—end-user adoption must scale dramatically. Overcoming barriers like limited awareness, fragmented standards, and a lack of talent is vital. By bridging these gaps, the EO industry can unlock solutions to complex sustainability challenges while generating tangible economic and environmental benefits.

As EO technology becomes indispensable for industries and governments alike, the path forward lies in innovation, collaboration, and creating accessible, actionable insights that empower decision-makers at every level.