Earth Observation: The New Space Frontier for Climate Action

When you look at Earth from above, the planet feels both infinite and impossibly delicate. From orbit, patterns emerge that are invisible on the ground: forests thinning before chainsaws arrive, ice retreating long before coastlines flood, emissions rising where no smokestack can be seen. This is the power of Earth Observation (EO) — turning the planet into a living dataset.

And as climate risks accelerate, one question becomes unavoidable: What if the key to climate action sits thousands of kilometers above us?

Explore our Science Decoding report

What Is Earth Observation?

Earth Observation (EO) is the process of gathering information about our planet, primarily using remote sensing technologies from satellites, aircraft or ground-based sensors. These technologies collect data on Earth's physical, chemical, and biological systems. This data is then processed, analyzed, and used for a wide range of applications, from monitoring climate change to managing natural resources.

Climate Intelligence at Orbital Scale

Modern Earth Observation platforms are no longer passive tools for research. They are becoming active instruments for decision-making across climate, industry, and policy.

Today, EO enables:

• Real-time carbon emissions tracking, even where reporting is limited or unreliable

• Early deforestation detection, before damage becomes irreversible

• Ice-sheet and glacier loss mapping with scientific precision

• Groundwater depletion monitoring, critical for food and water security

• Ocean circulation and temperature shifts, shaping climate models and disaster response

  
  

This is not just better data. It’s earlier signals, delivered at a scale that matches the planet itself.

From Space to Action

The next frontier is not just sensing, but integration. EO data is increasingly feeding into:

• Carbon markets and MRV (Measurement, Reporting, Verification) systems

• Climate risk models for infrastructure and insurance

• Precision agriculture and land-use planning

• Disaster early-warning and response systems

As these datasets become interoperable and decision-ready, Earth Observation shifts from a scientific tool to climate infrastructure.

Science Decoding: Earth Observation

Our upcoming Science Decoding dives deep into the Earth Observation revolution — unpacking the technologies, the data stack, and the startups building climate intelligence from orbit.

From next-generation satellites to AI-powered analytics, we explore how EO is becoming one of the most powerful enablers of climate action — helping humanity understand the planet not just as it was, but as it is changing in real time.

Because protecting Earth starts with seeing it clearly.