Coastal Resilience to Climate Change

The European Space Agency (ESA) invites companies to participate in the Coastal Resilience to Climate Change initiative. This opportunity aims to support the development of innovative services that leverage space technology to address the challenges posed by climate change to coastal cities, rural coastal regions, and ports. The call for proposals welcomes submissions for feasibility studies and demonstration projects.

The ESA is seeking business ideas that demonstrate:

• Clear market opportunities and customer needs
• Commercially viable service concepts
• Feasible technical solutions
• Effective use of space data or technology
• Teams with strong business, technical, and financial expertise

Here are some examples of potential services that could be developed under this initiative:

• Monitoring and Early Warning Systems: Monitor environmental changes to provide early warnings for extreme weather events, such as storms, floods, and heatwaves.
• Monitoring Coastal Erosion and Sea-Level Rise: Track coastal erosion and sea-level rise to plan and implement coastal defences.
• Water and Ecosystem Management: Manage water resources by monitoring rainfall patterns, river flows, and drought conditions.
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Monitor changes in biodiversity and ecosystem services to protect and manage natural habitats.
• Urban and Infrastructure Planning: Use accurate geospatial information to design resilient infrastructure that can withstand climate impacts.
• Adapting Coastal Agriculture: Implement services to protect crops from salinity intrusion, flooding, and extreme weather events.
• Disaster Response and Recovery: Ensure reliable communication during and after disasters for effective coordination of emergency services.
• Nature-Based Solutions (NBS): Implement NBS, such as mangrove restoration, to enhance coastal resilience and provide multiple ecosystem services.
• Port Solutions: Develop management systems for ports to adapt to climate impacts, such as raising quays and installing advanced drainage systems.
• Tourism: Implement climate adaptation strategies to protect tourism infrastructure from rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and extreme weather events.
• Insurance: Use satellite data to assess risks and manage claims, providing financial protection against economic losses from storms, flooding, and erosion.
• Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD): Help companies report physical risks and opportunities related to climate change and outline strategies for resilience.

Value of Space and other technologies

• Satellite Earth Observation (SatEO)
• Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)
• Satellite Communication (SatCom)
• High Power Computing (HPC)
• Digital Twins (DTs)

Application Process

• Activity Pitch Questionnaire
• Outline Proposal
• Full Proposal