In a new partnership Westbrook Racing, the European Space Agency (ESA) and EOMAP are set to enhance environmental monitoring across the E1 Championship, a series of electric powerboat racing. The initiative launched at the Lake Como race on 24 and 25 April 2026. Altogether, it marks a new step in applying Earth Observation science to water sports events.

“High-resolution satellite data can tell a lot about water quality. Through the insights we create, we wish to help Westbrook Racing better understand and manage the ecological footprint of the races. Together, we will demonstrate how Earth Observation can guide the responsible development of water-based events,” stated Dr. Eva Maria Haas, Head of Strategic Accounts Europe at EOMAP.

Science‑based water quality monitoring across race venues

At the heart of the collaboration is EOMAP’s advanced water quality monitoring. Using satellite data, the programme introduces a non‑intrusive, science‑driven approach to understanding how race activity interacts with local aquatic ecosystems.

Drawing on imagery from ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel‑2 mission and Planet SuperDove satellites, EOMAP will deliver high‑resolution, near real‑time insights into environmental conditions before, during, and after race events.

Turbidity analysis to understand sediment disturbance

A key focus of the monitoring framework is water turbidity. For instance, EOMAP’s analysis will help identify sediment disturbance patterns that may be linked to race operations or external environmental factors. As a result, this supports a more informed assessment of environmental impact at each venue.

This data will provide valuable context for race planning, ultimately helping the team manage activities responsibly in sensitive water environments.

Satellite detection of floating plastic pollution

In parallel, EOMAP will conduct dedicated analysis of floating plastic debris using satellite imagery. This work will support the identification of pollution accumulation zones and track changes over time. This will also help define priority areas for targeted clean‑up efforts in collaboration with local authorities and environmental organisations.

Environmental intelligence through cloud‑based analytics

All insights generated by EOMAP’s water quality services will be integrated into the cloud‑based analytics platform eoapp AQUA. This will give Westbrook Racing direct access to actionable environmental intelligence for operational use, post‑event assessment, and transparent reporting to stakeholders, communities, and fans.

Lake Como as a benchmark

The Lake Como event will serve as the first deployment of the monitoring framework, establishing a benchmark for future race locations. From there, the programme scales across the E1 Championship calendar. In effect, this creates a consistent approach to water quality monitoring at each venue.

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Learn More

• Access Westbrook Racing’s press release here.
• Contact our water quality team for more details.

Welcome to our ‘Quick Facts’ series! In this new series, we are spotlighting remarkable places on our planet while deepening our understanding of aquatic ecosystems. This time, we’ll focus on lake Eyre.

Ephemeral lakes are temporary water bodies with very dynamic water levels influenced by inflows, precipitation, and evaporation. They appear only when the conditions are right.

Kati Thanda’s transformation after rare rains

Lake Eyre also known as Kati Thanda is one such endorheic basin with Flood‑to‑Dry Cycle and according to Guiness book of world records, the largest ephemeral lake. Most years, Kati Thanda lies as a vast, gleaming salt pan, the lowest natural point on the Australian continent at about 15 meters below sea level. But during rare periods of heavy rainfall in its distant catchments, it transforms into a shimmering inland sea.

 

Heavy rains in Queensland in early 2025 sent major inflows toward the basin leading to one of the more significant flood events of the 21st century, though not filling up the lake completely.
The image below the Water Extent of 2438 km² calculated by EOMAP using Copernicus Sentinel-3 imagery.

 

 

 

Let’s connect

Learn more about integrated water quality monitoring here.

For hands-on insights on your lake, please contact the water quality team.

Welcome to our ‘Quick Facts’ series! In this new series, we are spotlighting remarkable places on our planet while deepening our understanding of aquatic ecosystems. This time, we’ll focus on ancient lakes.

Long-lived lakes are biodiversity hotspots

Ancient or long-lived lakes are classified as lakes sustaining water consistently for at least a million years. They are very rare on our planet.

Their sustained water presence creates isolated aquatic environments where unique species evolve. Therefore, ancient lakes are known to hotspots of biodiversity and endemism. Lake Ohrid in Southeast Europe, for instance, boasts over 200 endemic species of plants and animals.

Insights into long-term environmental change

Despite being rare, the combined freshwater volume of these ancient lakes is enormous. Lake Baikal, for example, carries 20% of the world’s unfrozen freshwater.

Having persisted for millions of years, these long-lived lakes are unique time capsules. In this role, they offer invaluable insights into long‑term environmental change and the resilience of aquatic life.

Lake monitoring across the world

In many lake projects worldwide, we are delivering environmental intelligence. These include Lake Elsinore and  Canyon Lake in the US, Lake Constance and the “land of 1,000 lakes” Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany, or Lake Victoria in Africa.

With space-based insights on water quality, we support utilities, authorities, and industries in smarter risk management and sustainable decision‑making.

Let’s connect

Learn more about integrated water quality monitoring here.

For hands-on insights on your lake, please contact the water quality team.

On this international Clean Energy Day, the United Nations highlight the need for a just, rapid, and global energy transition. Healthy aquatic systems and reliable data from space play key roles here.

The UN Secretary-General emphasizes that ‘renewables are the engine that can drive this transition.’ However, grid infrastructure, high costs, and accessibility barriers continue to slow down global progress.

How EO can speed up the energy transition

At EOMAP, we know that water is a key pillar of the energy transition, whether for hydropower, coastal infrastructure, risk management, or environmental monitoring. And this is exactly where satellite data delivers crucial advantages:

• Global and continuous monitoring of water quality, sediment dynamics, and water levels
  This is essential for hydropower-relevant reservoirs, which can now be monitored more accurately than ever through satellite data.
  Challenge the eoapp HYPOS and the SnowPower tool.
• Improved planning of renewable energy projects
  EO data supports the siting of floating solar, offshore wind, and hydropower projects by visualizing dynamics, flow conditions, and long-term environmental changes.
  Challenge the BLUE-X toolbox, designed to accelerate offshore renewables.
• Faster reaction capability
  Decision-makers can detect changes in rivers, lakes, and coasts within hours, especially during extreme events or risks to energy infrastructure.
  Challenge eoapp AQUA and its alert functions.

Our mission: Environmental intelligence

A clean energy future requires more than renewable technologies. We also need a deep understanding of our blue planet. With space-based environmental intelligence, we support utilities, authorities, and industries in smarter risk management and sustainable decision‑making

Use cases across the world

In many projects worldwide, we are already delivering actionable insights for hydropower reservoirs and other renewable energy installations. These include Georgean and Albanian reservoirs, and Cahora Bassa in Mozambique.

The image shows Philippsee, Germany’s the largest floating photovoltaic (PV) installation in 2024. It was processed on the basis of ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery.

Let’s connect

Check out more use cases here.

For your applications, please get in touch with the water quality team.

The Scorpion Reef, in Spanish “Arrecife Alacranes”, is the largest atoll in the southern Gulf of Mexico and a designated National Park. EOMAP has now mapped this region using Satellite-Derived Bathymetry (SDB).

Mapping a biodiversity hotspot

This largest reef of the region is home to an extraordinary marine ecosystem: With five islets and at least 34 hard coral species, it serves as a sanctuary for numerous kinds of birds, fish, and turtles. Unfortunately, like many other biodiversity hotspots, Scorpion Reef faces threats from factors, such as illegal fishing and unregulated tourism.

Space-based data on water depth

Only recently, our team processed 290 km² of the region around Scorpion Reef using Satellite-Derived Bathymetry (SDB) workflows. This approach provides detailed insights into water depths across the atoll without the need for costly or invasive surveys. The data generated are valuable decision-support for conservation and monitoring efforts.

For this 10-m dataset, our colleagues analysed satellite scenes of Sentinel-2. “10-metre resolution” means that the smallest area mapped is 10x10m size – which we also applied for extended areas such as the Bahamas.

The benefits of SDB datasets

Like at Scorpion Reef, this space-based mapping technology offers several benefits for decision makers in coastal environments:

• Enhanced monitoring: Continuous monitoring and update of sandy seabed and beaches
• Fills bathymetric data gaps: Depth information in areas which are not sufficiently charted
• Cost-effective and scalable: No need for extensive fieldwork, satellite imagery enables large-area coverage quickly
• Supports conservation: Provides actionable data for managing and protecting marine ecosystems
• Non-intrusive and safe: Ideal for remote or protected regions where traditional surveys are challenging

Learn more

For other applications, especially in coastal engineering, we can increase the spatial resolution of SDB grids to submeter levels of detail.

Please contact our US office or our shallowwater team for SDB services worldwide.

An opinion piece by Dr. Rainer Ressl – Head of Climate and Biodiversity Solutions at EOMAP

The Conference of the Parties of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém started – once more – with high expectations. It ended with mixed reactions. Science warned – once more – that time is nearly up. Negotiators made some progress on adaptation, forests and oceans but stepped back from tougher decisions – once more – on reducing fossil fuels and deforestation.

For us working in climate, water, and nature data, the message was clear: the world needs stronger action, and it needs reliable information to support it.

Climate: Alarming signals, limited breakthroughs

The conference opened with repeated warnings from global scientific bodies. While the exact temperature figures vary across reports, all agreed that 2025 is expected to rank among the warmest years on record and that the world remains far off the 1.5°C pathway (WMO). Analyses of national climate pledges highlight a significant gap between current trajectories and emissions reductions required for climate safety.

Yet, COP30 could not agree on a firm language to phase out fossil fuels. Countries with oil- and gas-dependent economies resisted to create a binding global commitment. The outcome also avoided any detailed roadmap for reducing fossil fuel production and use. This was one of the most widely criticised shortcomings of Belém.

Nature and biodiversity: Action grows through reporting and corporate standards

Across COP30 side events and initiatives, momentum grew around improving biodiversity measurement and disclosure. While no single ISO biodiversity standard was formally released at COP30, the global push for more consistent, auditable nature reporting frameworks was evident and will likely influence environmental management in the coming years.

Oceans: A clear step forward

One of Belém’s more positive storylines came from the ocean agenda. More countries joined efforts to integrate the ocean into their national climate plans, building on initiatives like the Blue NDC Challenge. While exact global percentages vary, analyses agree that an increasing number of coastal and island nations now include ocean-based climate solutions in their pledges.

Albeit this positive development, ocean observing systems remain under pressure. The latest Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) report highlights a mix of progress and vulnerability. Observing infrastructure is improving but remains underfunded and uneven. Without coordinated investment, global ocean monitoring will struggle to meet rising climate and biodiversity challenges.

In a nutshell, we can state the following challenges and positive signals.

Challenges

There is an obvious gap between talk and action. Specifically, we can identify these shortcomings:

• No commitment to phase out fossil fuels.
• No binding roadmap to stop deforestation.
• Climate and biodiversity finance still fall short of what science calls necessary.
• Ocean data systems remain fragile.
• The global emissions trajectory continues to miss the 1.5°C pathway.
• These gaps reinforce that political will, not scientific uncertainty, is the limiting factor.

Positive signals

Despite these drawbacks, we can see progress through these initiatives and partnerships:

• A significant forest-finance mechanism was launched through the Tropical Forest Forever Facility.
• Adaptation finance receives heightened priority.
• Ocean and coastal resilience rise in national climate planning.
• Improved biodiversity measurement and nature-positive approaches gain traction.
• These developments move climate, nature and ocean issues closer together, creating a more integrated policy landscape

What this means for our work

COP30 sends a clear message: data, monitoring and nature-intelligence will be essential for delivering real progress.

The outcomes reinforce our strategic direction within EOMAP, a Fugro company, and Fugro’s Climate & Nature team.

1. Scale up blue-carbon and coastal-ecosystem monitoring
   Countries need reliable mapping and long-term monitoring of mangroves, seagrasses and tidal wetlands. Our satellite-based analytics and coastal data services can support integration of these ecosystems into climate planning and nature finance.
2. Strengthen water-quality and coastal-risk services
   From turbidity and sediment dynamics to bloom detection and coastal erosion, monitoring will be central to adaptation projects as finance increases.
3. Support the growing demand for biodiversity assessment and disclosure
   As environmental reporting frameworks mature, organizations will need transparent, science-based tools. Our EO capabilities can help quantify ecosystem change and impact.
4. Expand partnerships for ocean observation
   COP30 highlighted the fragility of global ocean and coastal observing systems. Collaboration with governments, research institutions and private partners is essential to generate climate relevant data and insights.
5. Accelerate translation of global policy into practical tools
   Our role is to turn national and international commitments into workable, measurable solutions and decision support tools for coastal managers, NGOs, governmental institutions and industries.

Closing thought

COP30 did not deliver everything the world had hoped for. However, it strengthened the case for applied science and high-quality environmental data.

For us at EOMAP, the takeaway is very straightforward: Our expertise in coastal, aquatic and nature observation is becoming even more critical for climate action.

Further readings

Analysis of outcomes by “Carbonbrief”, the award-winning UK-based website on climate science and policy

Round-up by the UN Ocean Decade, the IOC-driven initiative stimulating ocean science and knowledge generation

The Búzios Statement by 250 scientists, pinpointing global benchmarks, such as the reduction of global fossil fuel production

An analysis of COP30’s fossil fuel and deforestation talks by the Institute of Sustainable Development

Let’s connect

Check out more climate-related projects here.

Discuss your needs with Rainer and the coastal team.

Iran’s water crisis is a wake-up call. We have looked at the extent of the drama from space to see what we can learn for the future. Above all, we hope the people of Iran will soon be blessed with rainfall.

Iran is facing the toughest drought in recent history, and Tehran could run out of water within weeks. Entire communities may face evacuation.

Not just an Iranian problem

The crisis shows how climate change, overuse by agriculture, industry, and swelling urban populations can push water systems to the brink. Water stress is escalating worldwide, including here in Europe. Recently, the UN has found ‘water crisis’ or ‘water stress’ no longer appropriate for many cases. This is why the UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health – the UN’s Think Tank on water – titled its latest report published in January 2026 “Global Water Bankruptcy Report”.

Monitoring aquatic environments is not a cure-all, yet can enable data-driven and timely action. However, traditional monitoring methods often fail to provide timely, basin-wide insights, leaving policymakers and businesses blind to emerging risks.

Enhancing water governance

Just as we cannot provoke rainfall, there is actionable information we can provide to water managers. Space-based monitoring can significantly improve water governance by offering the following:

• Real-time visibility of water levels and quality across vast regions
• Seasonal and long-term trends of water levels and quality
• Early warning systems for droughts, floods, and pollution events
• Data-driven decision-making for agriculture, industry, and urban planning

Satellite technology to anticipate crisis

Space-based monitoring is also about resilience. By integrating satellite data with field and ground data, authorities can anticipate crises before they spiral out of control, safeguard ecosystems, and ensure water security.

Use cases across the world

In projects like ESA’s Global Development Assistance (GDA) Water, we are already delivering actionable insights for rivers and lakes worldwide. These include the Zambezi Basin, the Mekong Delta, or the Elbe River. Moreover, we track volume changes in reservoirs, chlorophyll surges, reveal turbidity, and support emergency responses to algal blooms in many other projects.

ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 images below show the Amir Kabir Dam, around 60 km northwest of Tehran. The comparison unveils the drastic water loss leading to the crisis. According to Reuters quoted in this article by CNN, the reservoir was only 8% full in early December 2025.

Let’s connect

Check out more use cases here.

For more details, please get in touch with the water quality team.

Learn more about our river-focused solutions.

Seegraswiesen spielen eine zentrale Rolle in der Nährstoffregulierung, Sedimentstabilisierung und dienen dabei als wichtiger Lebensraum für viele Meerestiere. Trotz ihrer geringen Flächendeckung von weniger als 0.2% der Weltmeere speichern Seegraswiesen circa 15% des globalen marinen organischen Kohlenstoffs.

Dank Fernerkundung und künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) lassen sich Seegrasbestände heute deutlich genauer erfassen. Dennoch bleibt ihre Verbreitung, insbesondere in der Ostsee, von vielen Umweltfaktoren wie Sediment, Wassertiefe, Strömungen, Nährstoffeinträgen und Wassertrübung abhängig. Hinzu kommt der Klimawandel, der ihre Stabilität weiter gefährdet.

All das macht Wiederansiedlung und Schutz von Seegraswiesen zu einer großen Herausforderung.

KI-gestützte Kartierung und Analyse von Seegraswiesen

Vor diesem Hintergrund wollen wir in dem Projekt SEAGUARD (SEAgrass Growth and Adaption Using Ai Research & Development) mithilfe von KI, Umwelt- und Fernerkundungsdaten sowie Modellsimulationen die Verbreitung und Entwicklung von Seegras in der deutschen Ostsee kartieren. Gemeinsam mit dem IOW Warnemünde und der CAU Kiel soll das CO2-Speicherpotential von Seegraswiesen bewertet werden und zudem Standorte identifiziert werden, an denen die Wiederansiedlung von Seegras auch unter zukünftigen Klimabedingungen die größten Erfolgschancen hat.

Konkret bedeutet dies, dass SEAGUARD eine langfristige Planbarkeit für die Wiederansiedlung von Seegraswiesen ermöglicht und Gebiete ausweist, die ein hohes Besiedlungs- und Wiederansiedlungspotenzial aufweisen. Zugleich zeigen wir Regionen auf, die aufgrund ihrer Umweltbedingungen besonders resilient gegenüber Klimaveränderungen und Klimaschwankungen sind.

Somit trägt SEAGUARD zur Minderung des Klimawandels bei, indem es die Reduktion von Treibhausgasen unterstützt. Die Projektinhalte lassen sich dabei unter anderem den globalen Nachhaltigkeitszielen SDG 13 (Maßnahmen zum Klimaschutz) und SDG 14 (Leben unter Wasser) zuordnen.

SEAGUARD, dessen Kick-off gerade erfolgt ist, wird im Rahmen des Aktionsprogramms Natürlicher Klimaschutz (ANK) gefördert und soll konkret einen Beitrag zur Entwicklung von KI-Anwendungen für den Natürlichen Klimaschutz leisten.

Partner von SEAGUARD

IOW | Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde
Das IOW Warnemünde erforscht die Ostsee und ihre Küstenökosysteme und liefert wissenschaftliche Grundlagen für ihren langfristigen Schutz.

CAU Kiel | Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel
Die Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU) ist eine etablierte Institution in der Forschung und Lehre zu marinen Ökosystemen.

Mehr Infos

Lesen Sie den Artikel “Kann die KI die Ostsee retten?” im Nordkurier.

EOMAP hat auch im Mittelmeer Seegraswiesen kartiert.

Für mehr Details zu SEAGUARD, wenden sie sich bitte an Simone Zepp.

SEAGUARD ist ein Projekte der KI-Leuchtturminitiative des Deutschen Bundesumweltministeriums.