Remote sensing is an important tool for monitoring weather and environment, allowing us to monitor and collect data on the state of the atmosphere and the earth from afar. This technology uses satellites, radiosondes, drones and sensors to obtain information about weather, air quality, forests, water bodies and more.
The data is collected using different spectral channels, allowing the detection of various environmental parameters, such as temperature, humidity, air pollution and other important indicators. This data is important for scientific research, government policy-making, and planning and monitoring environmental protection measures.
Overview
- Monitoring the natural environment: using remote sensing, we can monitor the state of forests, marshes, lakes, rivers and coastal areas. It helps us assess the health of ecosystems, monitor logging and detect pollution and environmental damage.
- Weather monitoring: using remote sensing, weather conditions such as air temperature, precipitation and humidity are monitored. This is important for both daily weather forecasting and long-term climate change monitoring.
- Agriculture and rural development: agricultural producers can use remote sensing for crop forecasting and farmland management.
- Detection of environmental damage: remote sensing helps to detect sources of pollution and environmental damage, which allows rapid response and problem solving.
Enjoy a near-real-time view of our planet Earth!
A view of the Atlantic Ocean region from the Meteosat weather satellite, 36,000 km above Earth.
More information Earth view | EUMETSAT
Sentinel-3 satellite measurement data stream showing Earth in natural colors and the measured sea surface temperature
More information Earth view | EUMETSAT
See also saltellite image collected by Meteosat and Copernicus Sentinel-3 with EUMETView
Estonia participates actively in the work of international organisations involved in remote sensing and in sectoral initiatives:
- European Space Agency (ESA)
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The mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) is to guide the development of Europe's space capabilities and ensure that investments in space continue to benefit both Europe and people around the world. ESA's programs aim to learn more about Earth, its surroundings, our solar system, and the universe as a whole. Additionally, ESA develops satellite-based technologies and services, promoting relevant industries in Europe. ESA consists of 22 member states, with Estonia being a full member since 2015.
- European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)
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The main goal of EUMETSAT is to develop, maintain, and operate the European meteorological satellite system, which continuously sends data about the processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere. More broadly, EUMETSAT monitors the climate and environmental conditions, as well as changes in these areas worldwide. ESA and EUMETSAT have been closely collaborating since the 1970s. EUMETSAT was established specifically to take over the development of operational meteorological satellite programs in Europe. Today, the cooperation is divided in such a way that ESA is responsible for the development of the space segment of satellite programs, while EUMETSAT is responsible for the rest of the system, including satellite launches, the ground segment, data reception, and distribution. This collaboration also extends to the satellites used within the European Union's Copernicus program. EUMETSAT has 30 member states, and Estonia has been a full member of EUMETSAT since 2013.
- Destination Earth (DestinE)
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ESA, EUMETSAT, and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) are jointly implementing the European Commission's initiative, Destination Earth (DestinE). The goal of DestinE is to develop a global digital model of Earth that simulates and forecasts the interaction between natural phenomena and human activities. The initiative supports both the green and digital transitions to achieve the goals of the European Green Deal and the digital strategy. ESA is responsible for developing a user-friendly service platform, EUMETSAT ensures the data lake for DestinE, and ECMWF is developing the first two digital twins. The first twin focuses on extreme (weather-related and geophysical) phenomena to support risk assessment and management, while the second is related to supporting adaptation to climate change. Estonia is also participating in the development of digital twins.