ESA World Ecosystem Extent Dynamics

Get ready to revise the R&D roadmap on ecosystem accounting with Earth Observation, detailing the links to biodiversity. Our session is planned for Tuesday afternoon (https://lnkd.in/eN2Ak8Yd ) and remote participation is possible through Teams. The URL will be announced, keep an eye on this post.

How can Earth Observation data and advanced modelling technologies enhance ecosystem monitoring?????? At #BioSpace25, experts will discuss the latest advancements in Satellite Remote Sensing (#SRS) for biodiversity, covering terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine environments. ?? February 11-14, 2025 | ?? Rome, Italy | ?? Live stream available Bruno Smets (VITO) and Ioannis Kokkoris (UPATRAS) from the WEED project will present advancements in open ecosystem mapping and accounting, convening and participating in key sessions on ecosystem extent mapping, biodiversity monitoring, and Earth observation for policy. Join us in Rome or tune in online! Read more ?? https://lnkd.in/eWVGChVr #Biodiversity #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #WEEDProject European Space Agency - ESA VITO University of Patras

?? WEED at BIOSPACE25! ???? We are excited to announce that the WEED team will be participating in BIOSPACE25, the first international conference dedicated exclusively to the application of Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) for biodiversity. This event will bring together experts from around the world to explore how #EarthObservation can support ecosystem monitoring across terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine environments. At BIOSPACE25, WEED will showcase its progress on an open ecosystem mapping solution, contributing to the advancement of global biodiversity monitoring. ?? Learn more about the ESA WEED project: https://lnkd.in/dCQKc5wh #BIOSPACE25 #EarthObservation #BiodiversityMonitoring #RemoteSensing #EcosystemMapping #ESAWEED

?? Introducing the first newsletter of the World Ecosystem Extent Dynamics (WEED) Project! ?? We are excited to share the first official quarterly update, showcasing key milestones, collaborations, and progress toward building a globally applicable, open-source solution for ecosystem mapping. ?? A few highlights from this edition: ? Project kick-off at ESA ESRIN, Frascati ???? ? WEED participation at COP16 in Colombia, fostering collaboration on national ecosystem mapping. ? Advances in generating ecosystem maps in Europe (PEOPLE-EA) and Colombia (ARIES4SEEA), demonstrating the use of Earth Observation, AI, and machine learning. ??? WEED aims to empower countries globally to map terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal ecosystems, aligning with biodiversity frameworks and supporting sustainable decision-making. ?? Read the full newsletter for detailed insights: https://lnkd.in/e5M-QsvE Stay tuned for updates, and follow us here for more progress on ecosystem monitoring solutions! ?? #EcosystemMapping #EarthObservation #Biodiversity #AI #SustainableDevelopment #WEEDProject

?? The World Ecosystem Extent Dynamics (WEED) project is excited to build further on the preliminary outputs from the work done by our partner BC3 - Basque Centre for Climate Change together with DANE, the Colombian Statistical Office, to map ecosystems distribution in Colombia according to the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology. ?? On 26 October, a meeting was held in Casa Humboldt, Cali, on the sidelines of #COP16, with the 16 representatives from several Colombian ministries, IDEAM, SINCHI, INVEMAR, DANE and the Humboldt Institute, to align activities around ecosystem mapping. ? https://lnkd.in/eWvV4zGB

?? We are honoured to have represented the European Space Agency - ESA at CBD COP16 Colombia! ?? As we wrap up our time in Cali, we reflect on this invaluable experience, and we look forward to continuing our joint efforts to contribute to the protection of our planet’s rich biodiversity. ?? We presented the ESA World Ecosystem Extent Dynamics project, aimed at empowering countries to map the distribution of their ecosystems. ?? We showcased how EO can support the Global Biodiversity Observing System (GBiOS) and the implementation of the KM-GBF by CBD parties. ?? We emphasized ESA's support to the Global Knowledge Support Service for Biodiversity and the subregional Technical and Scientific Support Centres ?? We shared insights on how EO can catalyse the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) implementation and we outlined our future initiative on Nature Finance. ?? Importantly, we strengthened collaborations and engagement with many different partners, such as European Commission, Group on Earth Observations (GEO), UNEP-WCMC, GEO BON, GBIF: The Global Biodiversity Information Facility, FAO, Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, and many more. Together, we are working towards a more biodiverse future. Thank you to everyone involved in these vital discussions! Marc Paganini Grégoire Dubois Gilles Doignon Bruno Smets Alessio Bulckaen James d'Ath Aidin Niamir Yanina Sica UN Biodiversity Giuseppe Ottavianelli #EarthObservation #CBDCOP16 #biodiversity

? On our way to COP16 Colombia, the 16th World #Biodiversity Conference! ?? ?? ?? Colleague Bruno Smets is an environmental informatics specialized in spatio-temporal analysis of ecosystems, and has been leading several #Copernicus Earth Observation projects in the terrestrial domain. Since 2020 he is leading VITO's expert team that provides technological solutions and support for Natural Capital Accounting (#NCA) and #Biodiversity monitoring at the ecosystem level. The team's main focus: ·??????mainstreaming #SEEA Ecosystem Accounting in #Europe, in support of Eurostat and the European Environment Agency, and beyond in #Turkey and #Madagascar ·??????exploring the benefits of integrating earth observation data for ecosystem accounting and biodiversity, in support of the European Space Agency - ESA. ·??????developing #remotesensing workflows in the European Biodiversity Monitoring design (#EuropaBON) and #Obsgession projects. ·??????exploring how to support the Corporate #Sustainability Reporting in private businesses. ?? Reach out to Bruno if you're interested in discussing how #EO data can help monitoring the ecosystem structure, function and community composition variables for biodiversity and to map ecosystem extent, condition and the services the ecosystems provide. At #COP16 he'll present a.o. European Space Agency - ESA's World Ecosystem Extent Dynamics (#WEED) project, in support of the GEO-Atlas. ?? October 28, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), ESA and VITO will organise a session on 'Building capacities in countries to map and monitor ecosystem distribution' ? https://lnkd.in/eqH4VaKA ?? Read Bruno's blogs about NCA: https://lnkd.in/ewQJchh5 Lori Giagnacovo Tim Jacobs Alexandra Evans Mathilde De Vroey Bert De Roo Steven Broekx Inge Liekens Lieven De Roo Maarten Van Loo Leo De Nocker Bart Deronde Eline Vanuytrecht Marchel Buchhorn Steven Krekels Rudi Torfs

?? The Group on Earth Observations (GEO), GEO BON, Ai2 and Esri are hosting a pavilion at #COP16 in Cali, Colombia, exclusively focused on Earth observation and cutting-edge technology to support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. October, 28, #GEO, #ESA and #VITO will organise a session on 'Building capacities in countries to map and monitor ecosystem distribution'. This panel will explore synergies between initiatives led by the European Space Agency - ESA to enhance the use of #EarthObservation data in #biodiversity monitoring and foster collaborations among key organizations. It will demonstrate how World Ecosystem Extent Dynamics (WEED) project's open-source toolkit complements the guidelines on national ecosystem mapping being developed through the Global Ecosystems Atlas, with discussions on the co-development and validation of ecosystem maps and their relevance to global biodiversity frameworks. More information ? https://lnkd.in/eqH4VaKA

We’re excited to announce the launch of the official website for the ESA World Ecosystem Extent Dynamics project! The project’s primary goal is to develop a versatile, globally applicable toolkit that uses #EarthObservation data to map and monitor ecosystem changes—spanning terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal areas (up to intertidal zones). ????In close collaboration with national authorities, we aim to enhance skills and knowledge through country-specific demonstrations, supporting global policy frameworks such as the CBD Global Biodiversity Framework, #SEEA Ecosystem Accounting, Ramsar, the #SDGs, and the Paris Agreement on Climate. Explore more and join us ! ?? ?? https://lnkd.in/dCQKc5wh #ESA #VITO #iDiv #BC3 #IIASA #WorldEcosystems #Biodiversity #Sustainability #ClimateAction #EcosystemMonitoring