What we do
Understanding our planet and the impact of climate change is crucial. That’s why accurate and reliable data are needed. Historical time series of data help us analyze changes over time.
Satellite data have a wide coverage, multi-temporal and multispectral capability. They provide climate change related data and information for extensive areas. This helps us better understand the climate system.
It also allows us to better study and predict climate change effect on ecosystems, and monitor the effectiveness of adaptation measures that have been implemented.
Remote sensing serves to monitor the effects of climate change: e.g. changes in land cover and land use. These effects can be monitored on a global scale, applying satellite imagery with low spatial resolution but delivering daily global coverage. And also on a local scale. For instance to map the impact of extreme weather on agriculture.
VITO Remote Sensing has more than 20 years of experience in the production and analysis of global time series of satellite data.
Current projects
The Copernicus climate change service (C3S)
The C3S service portal combines climate observations with the latest scientific methods to develop, quality-assured information about past, current and future states of the climate in Europe and worldwide. In the Copernicus Climate Change Service, VITO Remote Sensing, together with the consortium partners, is responsible for delivering long-term series of global data on three Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) to the Climate Data Store (CDS). These ECVs are: Leaf Area Index (LAI), the fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fAPAR) and surface albedo. The Climate Data Records (CDRs) cover a period of more than 35 years, stretching from 1981 to the present. Via the C3S online service portal, users have access to information that assists in monitoring and predicting climate change. And will help support adaptation and mitigation.
Read our blog posts
- https://blog.vito.be/remotesensing/the-copernicus-climate-change-service
- https://blog.vito.be/remotesensing/copernicus_c3s
Landcover mapping
Timely and accurate landcover maps are a crucial input for climate modelling. VITO remote sensing is the lead of two major projects in this domain.
Copernicus global land:
- https://land.copernicus.eu/global/products/lc
- https://blog.vito.be/remotesensing/copernicus_globalland_gee
- https://blog.vito.be/remotesensing/annual-global-land-cover-maps
ESA Worldcover
Global Drought Monitoring
The global satellite-based ASIS provides easy-to-interpret information on the status of crops and pastures worldwide for non-experts in remote sensing. It supports FAOs global food supply and demand monitoring work within GIEWS.
- https://www.fao.org/giews/earthobservation/asis/index_1.jsp?lang=en
- https://blog.vito.be/remotesensing/asis-drought-monitoring
Global Crop type monitoring
The when, where and how crops are grown is crucial information to monitor impact on and change of the global agriculture. VITO remote sensing is developing a open source toolbox that allows end users to create seasonal field level crop type maps at global extent.
Climate Smart Agriculture
VITO remote sensing is involved in screening climate measures for arable farmers.
https://remotesensing.vito.be/case/klimrek-project
Weather impact on agriculture
- https://blog.vito.be/remotesensing/weather-impacts-on-agriculture1
- https://blog.vito.be/remotesensing/curieuzeneuzen-wig
- https://blog.vito.be/remotesensing/europe-heatwave