EO for health @LPS25 and beyond

08:30 – 10:00, Room 0.94/0.95

It is well-known that many communicable and non-communicable diseases have a seasonal component. For example, flu and the common cold tend to increase in autumn and winter whilst vector borne diseases like Dengue and West Nile Virus tend to peak in late summer when the vectors are at their most abundant. Under monsoon regimes, many diseases peak during the rainy season. Hay fever, spring-time allergies and other respiratory disorders also have seasonality related to the abundance of pollens and other allergens in the air. Environmental conditions in water, air and land have a role in regulating the variability in the presence or absence and abundance of pathogenic organisms or material in the environment, as well as the agents of disease transmission like mosquitoes or birds. For example, air temperature and relative humidity are linked to flu outbreaks. Water quality in coastal and inland water bodies impact outbreaks of many water-borne diseases, such as cholera and other diarrheal diseases, associated with pathogenic bacteria that occur in water. The seasonality has inter-annual variabilities superimposed on it that are difficult to predict. Furthermore, in the event of natural disasters such as floods or droughts, there are often dramatic increases in environmentally-linked diseases, related to break down of infrastructure and sanitation conditions.

Climate change has exacerbated issues related to human health, with the shifting patterns in environmental conditions, and changes in the frequency and magnitude of extreme events, such as marine heat waves and flooding, and impacts on water quality. Such changes have also led to the geographic shifts of vector-borne diseases as vectors move into areas that become more suitable for them, as they become less cool, or retract from those that become too hot in the summer. The length of the seasons during which diseases may occur can also change as winters become shorter. There are growing reports on the incidence of tropical diseases from higher latitudes as environmental conditions become favourable for the survival and growth of pathogenic organisms.

Climate science has long recognised the need for monitoring Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) in a consistent and sustained manner at the global scale and with high spatial and temporal resolution. Earth observation via satellites has an important role to play in creating long-term time series of satellite-based ECVs over land, ocean, atmosphere and the cryosphere, as demonstrated, for example, through the Climate Change Initiative of the European Space Agency. However, the applications of satellite data for investigating shifting patterns in environmentally-related diseases remain under-exploited. This session is open to contributions on all aspects of investigation into the links between climate and human health, including but not limited to, trends in changing patterns of disease outbreaks associated with climate change; use of artificial intelligence and big data to understand disease outbreaks and spreading; integration of satellite data with epidemiological data to understand disease patterns and outbreaks; and models for predicting and mapping health risks.

This session will also address critical research gaps in the use of Earth Observation (EO) data to study health impacts, recognizing the importance of integrating diverse data sources, ensuring equitable representation of various populations, expanding geographic scope, improving air pollution monitoring, and understanding gaps in healthcare delivery. By addressing these gaps, we aim to enhance the utility of EO data in promoting health equity and improving health outcomes globally.

The United Nations (UN) defines Climate Change as the long-term shift in average in temperatures and weather patterns caused by natural and anthropogenic processes. Since the 1800s, human emissions and activities have been the main causes of climate change, mainly due to the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is leading international efforts to combat climate change and limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (1850–1900), as set out in the Paris Agreement. To achieve this objective and to make decisions on climate change mitigation and adaptation, the UNFCCC requires systematic observations of the climate system.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide an objective source of scientific information about climate change. The Synthesis Report, the last document part of the sixth Assessment Report (AR6) by IPCC, released in early 2023, stated that human activities have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels in 2011–2020. Additionally, AR6 described Earth Observation (EO) satellite measurements techniques as relevant Earth system observation sources for climate assessments since they now provide long time series of climate records. Monitoring climate from space is a powerful role from EO satellites since they collect global, time-series information on important climate components. Essential Climate Variables (ECV) are key parameters that explain the Earth’s climate state. The measurement of ECVs provide empirical evidence in the evolution of climate; therefore, they can be used to guide mitigation and adaptation measures, to assess risks and enable attribution of climate events to underlying causes.

An example of an immediate and direct impact of climate change is on human exposure to high outdoor temperatures, which is associated with morbidity and an increased risk of premature death. World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress alone. WHO data also show that almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits. Air quality is closely linked to the earth’s climate and ecosystems globally; therefore, if no adaptation occurs, climate change and air pollution combined will exacerbate the health burden at a higher speed in the coming decades.
Therefore, this LPS25 session will include presentations that can demonstrate how EO satellites insights can support current climate actions and guide the design of climate adaptation and mitigation policies to protect and ensure the health of people, animals, and ecosystem on Earth (e.g., WHO’s One Health approach).

Speakers:

Filipe Brandao – GMV
Javier Corvillo – Barcelona Supercomputing Center
Dr Neelam Taneja – PGIMER
Daro Krummrich – OHB Digital Connect
Lorenza Gilardi – German Aerospace Center

Check the most up-to-date session description in the main LPS Programme.

11:30 – 13:00, Room 0.94/0.95

It is well-known that many communicable and non-communicable diseases have a seasonal component. For example, flu and the common cold tend to increase in autumn and winter whilst vector borne diseases like Dengue and West Nile Virus tend to peak in late summer when the vectors are at their most abundant. Under monsoon regimes, many diseases peak during the rainy season. Hay fever, spring-time allergies and other respiratory disorders also have seasonality related to the abundance of pollens and other allergens in the air. Environmental conditions in water, air and land have a role in regulating the variability in the presence or absence and abundance of pathogenic organisms or material in the environment, as well as the agents of disease transmission like mosquitoes or birds. For example, air temperature and relative humidity are linked to flu outbreaks. Water quality in coastal and inland water bodies impact outbreaks of many water-borne diseases, such as cholera and other diarrheal diseases, associated with pathogenic bacteria that occur in water. The seasonality has inter-annual variabilities superimposed on it that are difficult to predict. Furthermore, in the event of natural disasters such as floods or droughts, there are often dramatic increases in environmentally-linked diseases, related to break down of infrastructure and sanitation conditions.

Climate change has exacerbated issues related to human health, with the shifting patterns in environmental conditions, and changes in the frequency and magnitude of extreme events, such as marine heat waves and flooding, and impacts on water quality. Such changes have also led to the geographic shifts of vector-borne diseases as vectors move into areas that become more suitable for them, as they become less cool, or retract from those that become too hot in the summer. The length of the seasons during which diseases may occur can also change as winters become shorter. There are growing reports on the incidence of tropical diseases from higher latitudes as environmental conditions become favourable for the survival and growth of pathogenic organisms.

Climate science has long recognised the need for monitoring Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) in a consistent and sustained manner at the global scale and with high spatial and temporal resolution. Earth observation via satellites has an important role to play in creating long-term time series of satellite-based ECVs over land, ocean, atmosphere and the cryosphere, as demonstrated, for example, through the Climate Change Initiative of the European Space Agency. However, the applications of satellite data for investigating shifting patterns in environmentally-related diseases remain under-exploited. This session is open to contributions on all aspects of investigation into the links between climate and human health, including but not limited to, trends in changing patterns of disease outbreaks associated with climate change; use of artificial intelligence and big data to understand disease outbreaks and spreading; integration of satellite data with epidemiological data to understand disease patterns and outbreaks; and models for predicting and mapping health risks.

This session will also address critical research gaps in the use of Earth Observation (EO) data to study health impacts, recognizing the importance of integrating diverse data sources, ensuring equitable representation of various populations, expanding geographic scope, improving air pollution monitoring, and understanding gaps in healthcare delivery. By addressing these gaps, we aim to enhance the utility of EO data in promoting health equity and improving health outcomes globally.

The United Nations (UN) defines Climate Change as the long-term shift in average in temperatures and weather patterns caused by natural and anthropogenic processes. Since the 1800s, human emissions and activities have been the main causes of climate change, mainly due to the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is leading international efforts to combat climate change and limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (1850–1900), as set out in the Paris Agreement. To achieve this objective and to make decisions on climate change mitigation and adaptation, the UNFCCC requires systematic observations of the climate system.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide an objective source of scientific information about climate change. The Synthesis Report, the last document part of the sixth Assessment Report (AR6) by IPCC, released in early 2023, stated that human activities have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels in 2011–2020. Additionally, AR6 described Earth Observation (EO) satellite measurements techniques as relevant Earth system observation sources for climate assessments since they now provide long time series of climate records. Monitoring climate from space is a powerful role from EO satellites since they collect global, time-series information on important climate components. Essential Climate Variables (ECV) are key parameters that explain the Earth’s climate state. The measurement of ECVs provide empirical evidence in the evolution of climate; therefore, they can be used to guide mitigation and adaptation measures, to assess risks and enable attribution of climate events to underlying causes.

An example of an immediate and direct impact of climate change is on human exposure to high outdoor temperatures, which is associated with morbidity and an increased risk of premature death. World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress alone. WHO data also show that almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits. Air quality is closely linked to the earth’s climate and ecosystems globally; therefore, if no adaptation occurs, climate change and air pollution combined will exacerbate the health burden at a higher speed in the coming decades.
Therefore, this LPS25 session will include presentations that can demonstrate how EO satellites insights can support current climate actions and guide the design of climate adaptation and mitigation policies to protect and ensure the health of people, animals, and ecosystem on Earth (e.g., WHO’s One Health approach).

Speakers:

Nandini Menon – Nansen Environmental Research Centre India
Emma Sullivan – Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Marc-Antoine MANT – LETG – CNRS – Nantes Université
Edgar Manrique – School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow
Dr Dhritiraj Sengupta – Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, UK

Check the most up-to-date session description in the main LPS Programme.

14:00 – 15:30, Room 0.94/0.95

It is well-known that many communicable and non-communicable diseases have a seasonal component. For example, flu and the common cold tend to increase in autumn and winter whilst vector borne diseases like Dengue and West Nile Virus tend to peak in late summer when the vectors are at their most abundant. Under monsoon regimes, many diseases peak during the rainy season. Hay fever, spring-time allergies and other respiratory disorders also have seasonality related to the abundance of pollens and other allergens in the air. Environmental conditions in water, air and land have a role in regulating the variability in the presence or absence and abundance of pathogenic organisms or material in the environment, as well as the agents of disease transmission like mosquitoes or birds. For example, air temperature and relative humidity are linked to flu outbreaks. Water quality in coastal and inland water bodies impact outbreaks of many water-borne diseases, such as cholera and other diarrheal diseases, associated with pathogenic bacteria that occur in water. The seasonality has inter-annual variabilities superimposed on it that are difficult to predict. Furthermore, in the event of natural disasters such as floods or droughts, there are often dramatic increases in environmentally-linked diseases, related to break down of infrastructure and sanitation conditions.

Climate change has exacerbated issues related to human health, with the shifting patterns in environmental conditions, and changes in the frequency and magnitude of extreme events, such as marine heat waves and flooding, and impacts on water quality. Such changes have also led to the geographic shifts of vector-borne diseases as vectors move into areas that become more suitable for them, as they become less cool, or retract from those that become too hot in the summer. The length of the seasons during which diseases may occur can also change as winters become shorter. There are growing reports on the incidence of tropical diseases from higher latitudes as environmental conditions become favourable for the survival and growth of pathogenic organisms.

Climate science has long recognised the need for monitoring Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) in a consistent and sustained manner at the global scale and with high spatial and temporal resolution. Earth observation via satellites has an important role to play in creating long-term time series of satellite-based ECVs over land, ocean, atmosphere and the cryosphere, as demonstrated, for example, through the Climate Change Initiative of the European Space Agency. However, the applications of satellite data for investigating shifting patterns in environmentally-related diseases remain under-exploited. This session is open to contributions on all aspects of investigation into the links between climate and human health, including but not limited to, trends in changing patterns of disease outbreaks associated with climate change; use of artificial intelligence and big data to understand disease outbreaks and spreading; integration of satellite data with epidemiological data to understand disease patterns and outbreaks; and models for predicting and mapping health risks.

This session will also address critical research gaps in the use of Earth Observation (EO) data to study health impacts, recognizing the importance of integrating diverse data sources, ensuring equitable representation of various populations, expanding geographic scope, improving air pollution monitoring, and understanding gaps in healthcare delivery. By addressing these gaps, we aim to enhance the utility of EO data in promoting health equity and improving health outcomes globally.

The United Nations (UN) defines Climate Change as the long-term shift in average in temperatures and weather patterns caused by natural and anthropogenic processes. Since the 1800s, human emissions and activities have been the main causes of climate change, mainly due to the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is leading international efforts to combat climate change and limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (1850–1900), as set out in the Paris Agreement. To achieve this objective and to make decisions on climate change mitigation and adaptation, the UNFCCC requires systematic observations of the climate system.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide an objective source of scientific information about climate change. The Synthesis Report, the last document part of the sixth Assessment Report (AR6) by IPCC, released in early 2023, stated that human activities have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels in 2011–2020. Additionally, AR6 described Earth Observation (EO) satellite measurements techniques as relevant Earth system observation sources for climate assessments since they now provide long time series of climate records. Monitoring climate from space is a powerful role from EO satellites since they collect global, time-series information on important climate components. Essential Climate Variables (ECV) are key parameters that explain the Earth’s climate state. The measurement of ECVs provide empirical evidence in the evolution of climate; therefore, they can be used to guide mitigation and adaptation measures, to assess risks and enable attribution of climate events to underlying causes.

An example of an immediate and direct impact of climate change is on human exposure to high outdoor temperatures, which is associated with morbidity and an increased risk of premature death. World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress alone. WHO data also show that almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits. Air quality is closely linked to the earth’s climate and ecosystems globally; therefore, if no adaptation occurs, climate change and air pollution combined will exacerbate the health burden at a higher speed in the coming decades.
Therefore, this LPS25 session will include presentations that can demonstrate how EO satellites insights can support current climate actions and guide the design of climate adaptation and mitigation policies to protect and ensure the health of people, animals, and ecosystem on Earth (e.g., WHO’s One Health approach).

Speakers:

Anas Abdulaziz – CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography
Dimitrios Sainidis – National Observatory Of Athens
Lara Savini – Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale” – Teramo
Luca Candeloro – Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”
Gemma Kulk – Earth Observation Science and Applications, Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Carla Ippoliti – Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale” – Teramo

Check the most up-to-date session description in the main LPS Programme.

16:10 – 16:30, Science for Society corner at ESA booth

14:00 – 15:30, Meeting Room 1.68

13:00 – 13:45, Nexus Agora

Empowering users to address health resilience challenges with advanced technology is nowadays increasingly possible thanks to the availability of Earth Observation (EO) satellites and data, which offer remarkable opportunities for the health sector, particularly in disease surveillance, risk assessment, and supporting evidence-based decision-making. Despite its potential, the technical complexity of EO data often acts as a barrier for non-expert users, such as public health practitioners and humanitarian workers, limiting its widespread application.

This panel discussion is designed to explore the pivotal role of EO-based online platforms tailored to the needs of non-experts, democratizing access to sophisticated EO data and insights, enabling public health officials, NGOs, and researchers to incorporate EO data seamlessly into their operations without requiring geospatial expertise.

Through intuitive interfaces and actionable outputs, these platforms facilitate the execution of advanced EO-based models, empowering users to tackle urgent health challenges such as monitoring disease outbreaks, assessing environmental health risks, and planning targeted interventions. By integrating EO data into their workflows, users can enhance their capacity to deliver timely and effective responses, especially in vulnerable and underserved communities.

This agora will draw on insights from the EO4Health activities at ESA and feature a panel of experts in EO data visualization, processing, and epidemiology. The discussions aim to highlight best practices and foster collaboration between the EO and public health communities. In doing so, the session seeks to help also non-expert users and NGOs leverage digital platforms effectively to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and pressing health needs. Ultimately, the goal is to inspire future innovations and identify unresolved challenges to ensure that EO-based, epidemiologically relevant data becomes user-ready and accessible to all, empowering usrs to make a meaningful impact in global health resilience.

Moderators:

Stefano Ferretti – ESA
Loretta Latronico – ESA

Speakers:

ESA introduction to EO4Health by Stefano Ferretti and Francesco Barchetta
Nandini Menon – Deputy Director, Nansen Environmental Research Centre (India)
Carla Ippoliti – Statistics and GIS Department at Italian National Zooprofilactic Institute (IZS)
Caroline PERRIN – Executive Director, Geneva Digital Health Hub (gdhub)

Check the most up-to-date session description in the main LPS Programme.