S4C and Digital Task Force for Planning will connect UK’s Earth Observation and climate expertise with spatial planning to support better-informed, more resilient decisions about places
Space4Climate and the Digital Task Force for Planning (DTFP) have formed a new strategic partnership to accelerate the use of Earth Observation, climate intelligence and digital innovation in spatial planning across the UK.
The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing an initial two-year collaboration spanning research and innovation, education, knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement.
The partnership will bring together expertise from the UK’s Earth Observation and climate community with spatial planning, digital innovation and place-based decision-making. Its central aim is to explore how rapidly developing capabilities in satellite Earth Observation and climate intelligence can be translated more effectively into the decisions that shape cities, towns, infrastructure and the natural environment.
Climate change is increasing the need for planning decisions to take account of complex and interconnected environmental risks, from flooding and extreme heat to water pressures, biodiversity loss and changes in land use. At the same time, advances in satellite technology, Earth Observation and digital analysis are creating increasingly sophisticated ways to understand environmental change at different spatial and temporal scales.
The partnership will focus on bridging these two areas, helping to turn increasingly powerful climate and environmental intelligence into practical evidence for better-informed, long-term decisions about places.
Areas for collaboration will include researching, developing and applying cutting-edge digital research and space technologies in mainstream spatial planning practice and education, with the aim of driving transformative change in how the sector responds to climate change.
Beth Greenaway, Chair of Space4Climate and Head of Earth Observation Delivery at the UK Space Agency, said: “Climate change presents an unprecedented challenge that requires new approaches, better information, and stronger collaboration. By working with Digital Task Force for Planning, we can help bridge the gap between climate science, Earth Observation technologies, and the planning decisions that shape our communities and environments.”
Dr Wei Yang OBE, CEO and Co-Founder of the Digital Task Force for Planning, said: “Our partnership with Space4Climate brings together the rapidly advancing capabilities of Earth Observation with spatial planning and place-based decision-making. By bringing these communities together, we want to explore how better evidence and digital innovation can help us understand change, anticipate risk, take more informed and effective action on climate mitigation and adaptation, and make more resilient decisions for the future.”
Join the launch event
The partnership will be launched publicly through From Space to Place: Connecting Space Technology and Spatial Planning for a Resilient Future, a joint Space4Climate and Digital Task Force for Planning event at The Building Centre in London on October 13.
The event will bring together leaders and practitioners from the space, Earth Observation, climate, planning, infrastructure, research and technology sectors to explore how space-derived data and digital innovation can support better decisions about the future of places.
Registration is open on eventbrite.
Note to Editors
For further information please contact:
Wei Yang, Digital Task Force for Planning, wyang@digital4planning.com
Sally Stevens, Space4Climate, 07740 674074 / s.stevens@reading.ac.uk
About Space4Climate
Space4Climate is a not‑for‑profit, cross‑government, academic, and industry community enabling the UK to turn satellite‑based data and climate intelligence into economic benefit and policy impact.
Our mission is to drive adoption of robust, trusted satellite Earth Observation technology and derived services, fuelling commercial growth, boosting national climate resilience and delivering societal and environmental value through a united UK EO industry, research and policy community. We convene organisations across the value chain, from research to commercialisation, to accelerate innovation, capability development and climate resilience. Space4Climate is hosted by the National Centre for Earth Observation at the University of Reading.
For more information on Space4Climate visit www.Space4Climate.com
About the Digital Task Force for Planning
The Digital Task Force for Planning (DTFP) is an independent, not-for-profit research, innovation and delivery organisation working at the intersection of spatial planning, public policy, data and digital technology.
Co-founded by Professor Michael Batty CBE and Dr Wei Yang OBE, DTFP works across government, academia and industry to develop digitally enabled approaches to spatial planning and enable more integrated, evidence-led and place-based decision-making.
Seed-funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), DTFP developed and operates the Digital Planning Directory, a one-stop shop for state-of-the-art digital planning solutions and resources. The Directory brings together a digital planning service provider listing, an education and training listing, and a procurement resource hub, creating a first-of-its-kind resource for the digital planning sector.
For more information about the Digital Task Force for Planning, visit www.digital4planning.com.