Europe’s ability to respond to climate change, safeguard food systems, strengthen energy security, and build resilience across society increasingly depends on the use of satellite data. Earth observation (EO) systems already underpin many essential public functions, from flood mapping to agricultural monitoring. Yet the breadth of Earth observation’s contribution, and the extent of its untapped potential, have never been assessed at this scale.
“Where sensing makes sense” offers the most comprehensive analysis to date of how Earth observation supports policy priorities across Europe. Developed by the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), the dossier examines more than 300 policy documents and reviews over 600 Earth observation‑based projects across six domains: energy, agriculture and food, digital transition, peace and security, climate resilience and emergency management, and insurance.
“How to increase the role of Earth observation at the service of countries’ priorities in Europe? We asked ourselves this question and came up with this report providing quantitative assessments and qualitative insights across a few key domains. We started from the policy angle and then looked into Earth observation solutions. We believe this is a solid start, but only a first step. In parallel, we published a policy vision for Earth observation and started collaborating with policymakers at the national and European level. We observed some clear opportunities for European countries to further benefit from Earth observation and we’ll do our best to support all relevant stakeholders to seize them.”
— Gabriele Redigonda, ESPI Lead on Green and Sustainable Societies
A new evidence base for policy and programme design
The study identifies around thirty concrete use cases in each domain, mapping where Earth observation is already delivering impact and where there are opportunities. This extensive comparison shows that while Europe has invested heavily in programmes such as Copernicus, uptake varies markedly across sectors. Some domains benefit from mature Earth observation use, while others with strong policy ambition – including energy and digital transition – remain underserved.
A core message emerging from the analysis is the need to move Earth observation beyond its traditional monitoring function. Addressing today’s policy priorities requires real‑time, full‑stack Earth observation architectures that directly support public services, operational decision‑making, and economic activity.
“Earth observation has become indispensable for understanding and addressing pressing environmental, economic and security challenges at European level. This analysis highlights both the impact already delivered by our missions and the significant opportunities still to be explored. As we look to the future of Earth observation systems, aligning programme design with policy needs will be key. This dossier represents a valuable contribution to ensuring that Europe’s space capabilities continue to deliver benefits for citizens and decision-makers.”
– Lucie Lachkar, ESA Policy Officer for Earth Observation Programmes
The dossier arrives at a time when Europe is reassessing how future Earth observation missions should be designed and how data can be leveraged as part of solutions at hand of policymakers. This report informs the previously published report “A policy vision for Earth observation”, published in June 2025, developed by ESPI and ESA crucially relying on the outcomes of a policy workshop held at the Royal Society, London, in April 2025.
