Earth Observation technologies for forest monitoring services

The United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) encourages and promotes countries in reducing carbon emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) which requires the assessment of national, historical and projected deforestation or degradation rates. Earth Observation (EO) technologies support the decision-making process in the management of forests at global, regional and national levels.

The advent of the Copernicus Programme’s Sentinel satellite data with their high spatial resolution and revisit time at global, regional and national levels provides an unprecedented volume of data for improved forest monitoring. The Copernicus Data and Information Access Services (C-DIAS) will also enhance data- and value-added product access in various sectors.

The REDDCopernicus project which was launched in early 2019 under the EU Horizon 2020 program, aims to implement coordination and consolidation of the existing European Capacity for EO based Forest Monitoring for REDD+ and sustainable forest management with relevant stakeholders, International Agencies, Research Community and Private Sector.

The project design combines the understanding of policy and user requirements as well as the institutional and technical challenges to be solved for a successful implementation of a future Copernicus REDD+ and Forest Monitoring Service Component. ​The future Copernicus REDD+ and Forest Monitoring Service Component, which is defined within the REDDCopernicus Project, will provide relevant Core Services and Products meeting the requirements REDD+ and Sustainable Forest Management which can be adopted by Users and adjusted to meet National requirements.

The REDDCopernicus project has a duration of three years and is implemented by a consortium of five European Partners, GAF AG as lead and project coordinator. The Consortium also includes EC-JRC (Italy), SIRS (France), Wageningen University (Netherlands), and VTT (Finland).

​The African Union-led, GMES and Africa Programme, also uses Sentinel Satellites data for the management of land and marine-based resources in forty-five African Countries.

For more information:
The GMES and Africa Programme,
REDDCopernicus Project