Why the EU supports research and innovation in environmental observation
The Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and landscapes are changing rapidly. Human activities are a major driver of these changes.
Monitoring and modelling these changes is critical to make informed decisions on the global challenges our society is facing. Vital information is gathered by land, sea, air and space-based environmental observation systems.
This data can be used to inform and improve decision-making in EU policies on environment, research, climate, energy and sustainable development. This knowledge helps protect people against natural disasters, respond to climate change, manage energy resources or promote sustainable agriculture. The data also provides opportunities to European businesses to develop value-added services.
Governments and international organisations coordinate their environmental observation strategies and investment through the worldwide Group on Earth Observations (GEO). GEO is working to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).
EuroGEO is Europe’s part of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). It brings together all of the environmental observation resources available in Europe so that they can be used more effectively.
The EU's research and innovation programmes have been pivotal in building the GEOSS. More than €200 million was invested during 2007-2013 and support continues through current Horizon 2020 and future Horizon Europe activities.
Funding opportunities
Horizon Europe
On this page you can find more information, the work programme and a link to calls related to environmental observation
Projects and results
Project success stories
Stories of particularly successful EU-funded environmental observation research projects
Research project database (CORDIS)
The Commission's primary portal for the results of EU-funded research projects
A decade of earth observation
Booklet providing an overview of EU-funded projects and how they contribute to global environmental observation
Results pack on environmental observation
Thematic collection of innovative EU-funded environmental observation research results (CORDIS)
Horizon Magazine
Latest news, interviews and features about thought-provoking environmental observation research projects funded by the EU
Horizon dashboard
Access to real-time programme data with the ability to filter by country, region, theme and more
Horizon Results Platform
Platform where framework programme participants present their results for you to search, contact their owners, and form partnerships
Collaboration and jobs
GEO: Group on Earth Observations
Partnership of more than 100 national governments building a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)
Copernicus
The EU's Earth observation programme, managed by the Commission. It provides free and openly accessible data
Find project partners
Find partners for open EU calls for proposal
Jobs (EURAXESS)
Researcher jobs in the field of earth observation
Scientific publications, tools and databases
EU publications portal
Online library of EU publications on environmental observation
Scientific publications
Scientific research publications on environmental observation published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC)
Copernicus
The EU's environmental observation programme, managed by the Commission. It provides free and openly accessible data
European Space Agency: earth online
Environmental observation datasets free to download
EU Open Data Portal
Single point of access to open data produced by the EU institutions - all data free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes
OpenAIRE
You can access all scientific publications from Horizon 2020 via OpenAIRE