Register free today to join this global conversation on how Earth Observation can contribute to climate action and adaptation. Across twelve sessions and very different geographical, environmental and institutional contexts, the World Virtual Congress explores a common challenge: how can space-based information move from observation to concrete, sustainable action?
The Space Climate Observatory (SCO) World Virtual Congress is a free, fully online week dedicated to making space data work for resilience and climate action.
This ground-breaking event is aligned to COP31 and gives you the chance to hear from world-leading climate experts from science, industry and policy across UNFCCC member nations.
Each of 12 sessions over the week spotlights the uses and impact of space-based data projects and innovations around the world.
Space4Climate is the UK focal point for SCO and has helped to design the programme as a global conversation on how Earth Observation can contribute to climate action and adaptation. Across 12 sessions and very different geographical, environmental and institutional contexts, the Congress explores a common challenge: how can space-based information move from observation to concrete, sustainable action?
The diversity of the sessions is intentional. They address different climate challenges (floods, droughts, wildfires, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, forests, water resources, urban heat, biodiversity or extreme events) and involve different communities, from scientists and space agencies to public authorities, companies, local stakeholders and users. They provide different perspectives on the same transformation: turning Earth Observation capabilities into useful and operational solutions for territories and populations, which is the SCO core.
A shared journey: from challenges to action
Rather than following a single technological pathway, the Congress aims to explore the different ways in which climate solutions emerge and develop:
Climate challenge / Need → Observation & Data → Knowledge → Solution → Use & Adoption → Deployment → Impact
Solutions may follow different trajectories. Some start from an urgent territorial or user need; others from a new technological opportunity such as new satellite capabilities, AI or data integration; others emerge through international or regional cooperation; and mature solutions increasingly face another challenge: how to move from successful demonstration to sustainable service and wider deployment.
Understanding these different trajectories — including their successes, limitations and lessons learned — is one of the main objectives of the Congress.
Three perspectives: Today, Tomorrow, and the next 5–10 years
Across the sessions, speakers and moderators are encouraged to explore three complementary horizons:
TODAY – Understand. What climate challenges and user needs are we facing? What solutions already exist? What value do they provide? What prevents promising technologies or demonstrators from being fully used?
TOMORROW – Develop and deploy. How can solutions become operational, accessible and sustainable? What role should users, public authorities, scientists, companies and space agencies play? What new technologies or collaborations could unlock new capabilities?
IN 5–10 YEARS – Build a vision. What capabilities should territories and decision-makers have in the future? What role could Earth Observation play in climate adaptation decisions? And, importantly, what choices must we make today to make this future possible?
The objective is not to force every session to address every question, but to create enough common ground for lessons and experiences to be compared across regions.
What you will learn from the Congress
The Congress will go beyond showcasing projects. Through keynotes, roundtables, dialogues and project presentations, we want to understand what makes a space-based climate solution useful, adopted and sustainable.
This means discussing not only data and technologies, but also users, governance, skills, cooperation, financing, economic models and deployment conditions. Several sessions make these dimensions central, including Africa’s discussion on funding, cooperation and the local New Space economy, and Latin America’s examination of technological constraints, data availability, user adoption, institutional capacity and sustainable economic models.
Ultimately, the 12 sessions should help us answer one collective question: What does it take to turn Earth Observation into a lasting capacity for climate adaptation — and what should we build next?
SCO World Virtual Congress programme
November 16:
12h00–13h30 (UTC) – Space & Climate Strategies: Space in support of climate public policies: From diplomacy to action
Hosted by CNES, France & UKSA/Space4Climate, UK
15h00–16h30 (UTC) – North America: Space for resilience in North America: From observation to action
Hosted by NOAA, USA & CSA, Canada
November 17:
7h00–8h30 (UTC) – Asia: Satellite observation and adaptation of Asian deltas & major rivers: From early warning to action
Hosted by GISTDA, Thailand & PhilSA, Philippines
10h00–11h30 (UTC) – Coastal adaptation in francophone countries: Combating Coastal Erosion in French-Speaking Africa
Hosted by ASES, Senegal & CERD, Djibouti
13h30–15h00 (UTC) – French Guiana: Cross‑border and trans‑Atlantic cooperation: Fr. Guiana at the crossroads of scientific & technological joint‑efforts
Hosted by TG, France & AGEOS, Gabon
November 18:
6h00–7h30 (UTC) – China: Space technology for China’s climate action
Hosted by CNSA & Aircas, Chine
9h00–10h30 (UTC) – Europe: Data to impact: Lessons learned for European climate initiatives
Hosted by IEEC, Spain & EARSC, Europe
14h00–15h30 (UTC) – Latin America: Operational Climate Change Monitoring with Satellites in Latin America: Opportunities, Limits and Perspectives
Hosted by ISPRS, International & SELPER, Latin America
November 19:
6h00–7h30 (UTC) – Indian & Pacific Oceans: Climate adaptation in the Indian and Pacific Oceans: Space‑based tools & solutions for islands and insular areas
Hosted by NUS, Singapore & S4OA, International
9h00–10h30 (UTC) – Nordic: The Nordic Region: Climate change at the frontline – Space-based solutions for adaptation and resilience
Hosted by SNSA, Sweden & NOSA, Norway
11h00–12h30 (UTC) – Middle East: Earth Observation for Climate Resilience in the Middle East : Challenges, Solutions and Cooperation
Hosted by UAESA, UAE; SSA, Saudi Arabia; BSA, Bahrain
November 20:
9h00–10h30 (UTC) – Africa: Space observation serving climate action in Africa: Challenges, Solutions & Cooperation
Hosted by SANSA, South Africa et KSA, Kenya
Register here for any of these sessions.