Earth Observation Services
The CopernicusLAC EO Services activities include the development of innovative services for disaster risk reduction (DRR) based on Copernicus Sentinel satellite data. These services will be integrated into the CopernicusLAC Panama Centre, which will provide users in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) access to the information, services, and processing capabilities established by the Centre in the region.
The EO services are the result of an intensive phase of interviews and meetings with stakeholders across the LAC region, culminating in various agreements and collaborations to jointly co-develop the services with key institutions.
Earth Observation Services activities develop Earth Observation services that transform Copernicus satellite data into value-added products and open-source tools to optimize decision-making for regional challenges. The CopernicusLAC Panama Centre centralizes these services to offer the LAC region direct access to geospatial data, processing tools, and high-value information products primarily focused on Disaster Risk Reduction.
These services will be released as open-source resources and deployed at a regional scale across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). During their operational phase, the focus will be on ensuring their long-term viability and strategic exploitation.
These services result from intensive engagement with stakeholders across the LAC region, leading to strategic agreements to jointly co-develop solutions with key institutions. This initial phase establishes the CopernicusLAC Panama Centre as a regional hub, actively involving diverse actors in service creation and empowering them to leverage Copernicus satellite data. This collaboration strengthens ties within the regional Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Earth Observation (EO) ecosystems, driving research and the development of satellite-based products.
The co-development portfolio features pre-operational applications in selected areas across the LAC region acting as use cases to demonstrate and validate the capabilities and potential of the developed services.
The Disaster Risk Reduction services and their applications are structured as use cases across four thematic areas: Hydrometeorological Hazards, Wildfires, Geological Hazards, and Exposure.
Detailed information regarding the EO Services is available on the CopernicusLAC EO Service Platform.
An overview of the EO Services Co-Development activity is provided in the documents attached below.
Hydrometeorological Hazards Theme
The hydrometeorological hazards theme leverages Copernicus Sentinel data to address floods and droughts across the LAC region. Partners tailor the corresponding services to the specific needs of the region encompassing flood dynamics, hydraulic modelling integrated with Sentinel data, forecasting of expected impact for hurricane preparation, and drought assessments with customized indices.
Wildfires Theme
The wildfires theme leverages Copernicus Sentinel data to improve wildfire assessment and preparedness across the LAC region. Specifically, the services deliver critical insights into burned areas, fire danger, and post-fire recovery mapping. To maximize local impact, partners tailor each service to the specific environmental and geographic needs of the region.
Geological Hazards Theme
The geohazards services support the assessment of landslides, subsidence, volcanic activity, and earthquakes. Specifically, InSAR-based terrain-motion services measure vertical and horizontal deformation rates alongside full displacement time series with millimetric precision, providing clear evidence of active subsidence, uplift, or lateral movements. Complementing this, multicriteria analysis and interferometric methodologies enhance landslide assessments, delivering detailed maps to guide strategic planning and preparedness actions.
Exposure Theme
The exposure services deliver detailed spatial data on population, assets, and natural capital affected—or potentially affected—by hazardous events. By mapping the high-resolution distribution of built-up areas, population density, and asset economic value (including ecosystem services), these resources provide a precise overview of elements at risk to support comprehensive disaster management.
User Communities
