New Perspective “Earth observations for climate adaptation”

A perspective paper: “Earth observations for climate adaptation: tracking progress towards the Global Goal on Adaptation through satellite-derived indicators” was published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science on 11 November 2025.

• The paper tackles the rising urgency of adaptation to climate change. Climate change impacts grow in frequency, extent and intensity. Adaptation (not just mitigation) has therefore emerged as a global imperative.
• It points to how satellite-based Earth Observation (EO) data can play a more central role in tracking progress under the Paris Agreement’s Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).
• The authors show how EO offers strengths in objectivity, repeatability, global coverage, and long-term archive potential.
• At the same time, the Perspective identifies key challenges: for example, linking EO data to adaptation outcomes (attribution), dealing with disaggregation (ensuring vulnerable groups are captured), and integrating socio-economic data and local contexts.

1. EO needs to be part of the adaptation indicator toolbox: The GGA process is moving fast. The authors argue that EO data and expertise should be part of the indicator selection process from the outset.

2. Start small but build scalability: While adaptation is often local, the need is global. The paper makes the case for indicators that are generalisable, comparable, and scalable across geographies, yet sensitive to local conditions.

3. Multiple lines of evidence required: Earth Observation is powerful, but cannot (alone) capture qualitative, socio-economic and behavioural dimensions. The authors stress the importance of multi-data integration and warn against relying solely on Earth Observation as a solution.

4. Operational and technical maturity needed: To fulfil its potential, EO-derived indicators must be embedded in workflows, made accessible and transparent. Issues such as baseline setting, data continuity, governance and capacity building matter.

5. Equity and disaggregation matter. The paper highlights that vulnerable populations might be overlooked in coarse Earth Observation data, making disaggregation and bias audits essential.

 

Sarah, C., Rochelle, S., Johanna, N. et al. Earth observations for climate adaptation: tracking progress towards the Global Goal on Adaptation through satellite-derived indicators. npj Clim Atmos Sci 8, 359 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01251-1