In an age where nature recovery must go hand-in-hand with sustainability and resilience, Earth Observation (EO) offers a powerful toolkit.
By turning satellite data into actionable insights, EO enables smarter environmental management, targeted policy interventions, and more efficient land use—all while supporting biodiversity and climate action.
At Tracsis Geo Intelligence, we’re using Earth Observation (EO) to really get what nature’s up to and help our clients make a difference. Check out how EO’s helping build a greener, more nature-friendly future, with some cool examples from UK bogs and coasts.
Powerful ways Earth Observation (EO) can support nature recovery
Nature-Based Solutions in Combatting Climate Crisis
Many EO applications—from peatland restoration to solar siting—support Nature-based Solutions (NbS): actions that protect, manage, or restore ecosystems to address societal challenges, benefiting both biodiversity and human well-being.
The IUCN Global Standard for NbS highlights the need for well-designed, evidence-based interventions that fully leverage nature’s services. In the UK, NbS are increasingly recognized as essential infrastructure for climate resilience.
A recent British Ecological Society report reinforces this with key findings:
- Healthy peatlands, woodlands, grasslands, and coastal zones can capture carbon, regulate water, reduce flood risks, and support biodiversity.
- Degraded peatlands, which are significant carbon emitters, can be transformed into carbon sinks through rewetting and revegetation.
- Restoring saltmarshes, seagrass beds, and woodlands sequesters carbon, boosts biodiversity, and protects communities from extreme weather.
- These multifunctional landscapes offer “win-win” solutions—tackling both climate change and biodiversity loss.
EO in Action – Use Cases for Nature Recovery
1. Optimising Solar Power Siting
The Opportunity:
Dual-use land strategies are becoming central to sustainable development. Technologies like bifacial photovoltaic (PV) panels allow solar installations to coexist with agriculture.
How EO Helps:
- Analyze surface albedo to assess solar potential
- Evaluate slope and elevation to identify suitable sites
- Detect ecologically sensitive areas to minimize impacts
Key Benefits:
- Enhanced renewable energy output
- Integration with agricultural productivity
- Reduced land-use conflicts
- Protection of natural habitats
Example: EO can identify degraded or low-productivity land suitable for solar farms, avoiding ecologically valuable areas and supporting long-term hydrological monitoring.
2. Mapping PM2.5 Air Pollution
The Problem:
PM2.5—fine particulate matter—is linked to serious health issues, yet hard to track without high-resolution data.
How EO Helps:
- Map PM2.5 concentrations at fine spatial scales
- Correct for atmospheric distortion for accuracy
- Track pollution trends and hotspots over time
Key Benefits:
- Evidence-based health and environmental policies
- Targeted urban planning and transport regulation
- Improved public health outcomes
Example: EO can reveal intra-city air quality differences, guiding decisions on clean air zones, traffic policies, or industrial emissions management.
3. Monitoring Drought in Agricultural Areas
The Challenge:
Climate-driven droughts increasingly threaten UK food security. Timely detection is essential for intervention.
How EO Helps:
- Combine optical and microwave sensors to assess soil moisture
- Generate near real-time drought risk maps
- Detect early signs of crop stress
Key Benefits:
- Informed irrigation strategies
- Reduced agricultural losses
- Improved water resource planning
Example: EO can flag declining soil moisture in key growing regions, triggering preventive actions like irrigation or crop rotation.
4. Tracking Fugitive Methane Emissions
The Threat:
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that often leaks undetected from natural and industrial sources.
How EO Helps:
- Detect emissions using satellites like Sentinel-2 and EarthDaily
- Distinguish between natural and human-made sources
- Track emissions patterns over time
Key Benefits:
- Improved emissions accountability
- Targeted remediation strategies
- Support for climate mitigation goals
Example: EO can help detect methane leaks from abandoned wells or degraded wetlands, enabling rapid response and restoration efforts.
5. Understanding Urban Heat Islands
The Issue:
Urban areas experience higher temperatures than rural surroundings, exacerbating health risks and energy use.
How EO Helps:
- Use thermal sensors (e.g. Landsat, SatVu) to identify hotspots
- Map Surface Urban Heat Islands (SUHIs) across cities
- Assess heat retention and dissipation at the building level
Key Benefits:
- Smarter investment in green infrastructure
- Resilient urban planning
- Enhanced quality of life
Example: EO can guide urban planners to prioritize interventions—like green roofs or tree planting—in the hottest, most vulnerable residential areas.
6. Supporting Natural Flood Management and Wetland Recovery
The Opportunity:
Restoring natural hydrological systems is a cost-effective way to mitigate flood risk while enhancing ecosystems.
How EO Helps:
- Map water flow and soil moisture
- Monitor floodplain connectivity and dynamics
- Identify priority sites for river re-meandering or wetland reconnection
Key Benefits:
- Reduced flood risk
- Carbon sequestration and habitat enhancement
- Improved water quality
7. Monitoring Biodiversity and Habitat Change
The Need:
Long-term biodiversity monitoring is essential for tracking restoration outcomes and ecosystem health.
How EO Helps:
- Use multi-spectral imagery to detect changes in vegetation, moisture, and habitat structure
- Monitor fragmentation and land cover over time
Key Benefits:
- Measurable impact of conservation efforts
- Data-driven rewilding and land management
- Early warning of habitat degradation
Example: EO can track the regeneration of dunes or saltmarshes—like on the Sefton Coast—offering early signs of success or alerts for timely intervention.
Want to See What EO Can Do for You?
At Tracsis Geo Intelligence, we don’t just provide data, we work closely with organisations to identify strategy goals and develop tailored EO strategies that align with their environmental, operational, and regulatory goals. From identifying the right datasets to designing a scalable monitoring framework, we help you integrate EO into your decision-making processes. Whether you’re targeting nature recovery, carbon reduction, risk mitigation, or smarter infrastructure planning, we bring the technical insight and applied experience needed to turn satellite data into meaningful, measurable outcomes.
Get in touch with the Tracsis Geo Intelligence team, let’s explore how your data can power real progress for nature and climate.