Copernicus high-cadence monitoring for the EU Green Deal : test case and use case report

Copernicus is the Earth Observation component of the European Union's (EU) Space Program. It is a user driven programme that addresses and supports many of the EU's policy priorities. With the significant goals associated with the EU Green Deal, there is an even greater need for actionable information as it provides for the first time a common growth strategy to put a healthy planet as the necessary foundation for socio-economic growth. The Green Deal together with Copernicus through the different instruments also provides investment opportunities and meaningful employment to remain fit in the digital age. Most importantly, the EU Green Deal commitments have pushed the envelope related to policy reporting and monitoring with new requirements and challenges for Copernicus. This in turn has created new Earth Observation (EO) needs and commitments that not only need to be clearly identified but also resolved. Therefore, understanding how Copernicus addresses these needs both today and in the future is vital to achieving both European and international policy goals.