The Executive%E2%80%99s Playbook on Earth Observation 2025

TABLE 2 Best-suited tech based on features Use caseFeatures Description CoverageLocation of interestResponse needsTime seriesParameter sensitivityRecommended technology Clean- energy site selectionIdentifying optimal locations for renewable energy projects such as wind, solar and hydroelectric installations needs analysis of environmental, geographical and social factorsSpace: Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite imagery enables assessment regardless of weather or time of day, making it valuable across large geographic regions, providing critical layers of information for assessing land suitability, solar radiation levels, wind speeds, topography and environmental impact zones Illicit fishing monitoringEO aids in detecting and monitoring illegal fishing activities in protected waters or exclusive economic zonesSpace: High-resolution satellite imagery and AIS (Automatic Identification System) data enable tracking and monitoring of fishing vessels in remote areas to identify suspicious activities and patterns Cropping Optimizing crop yield and quality while minimizing resource use relies on an understanding of field variability and crop health by detecting variations in chlorophyll content and water stressAir: Multispectral cameras on drones provide timely data on soil moisture to support day-to-day operations, particularly irrigation decisions, so crops receive adequate water without any wastage Insurance premium calculationAssessing risk factors helps determine appropriate insurance premiums for properties and assetsSpace: Satellite imagery is used to evaluate environmental risks such as flooding, wildfires and other natural hazards, over a long period of time and on an ongoing basis to facilitate updating of premiums Heritage conservationPreserving historical sites, buildings and landscapes requires assessments of structural integrity and gradual changesGround: 3D laser scanning (LiDAR) creates detailed models of structures, capturing contour and surface features to enable conservators to monitor fine-scale changes (such as microcracks) EO can drive value across thousands of different applications. In practice, however, organizations should first identify whether the problem they are trying to solve belongs to a common category of EO use and then determine if that problem exhibits features best suited for EO. EO is most beneficial when at least two or three of the following requirements are to be met: examining large areas, addressing problems that require frequent or timely data collection, spanning ecosystems, needing historical data to analyse trends, or the need to complement spatial data with non-spatial data. In addition, EO’s true value emerges when combined with complementary data like socio- economic data and sensor networks. This multi- source approach enhances accuracy, context and the ability to address multi-dimensional challenges.Of course, EO has valuable applications outside of the nine categories described in Table 1, and not all these EO features need to be addressed for a single application to be a viable use of EO. For instance, if the area of interest is too large or remote for ground-based monitoring, EO could be an excellent solution even if timely data collection is not needed. Conversely, if organizations are dealing with hyper- localized issues that require very fine-grained data, EO might not be the best fit, even if the problem falls squarely within one of the identified categories. The purpose of these categories and questions is to help guide organizations’ decision-making process by highlighting scenarios where EO can be uniquely beneficial. The Executive’s Playbook on Earth Observation: Strategic Insights for a Changing Planet 13