Simonetta Cheli at Living Planet Symposium 2025

ESA’s Living Planet Symposium, one of the world’s leading Earth observation conferences, opened on 23 June 2025 in Vienna.

In her opening speech, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Simonetta Cheli, underscored how ESA’s groundbreaking missions, developed through strong European and international partnerships, are redefining our relationship with the planet by delivering the clarity and confidence needed to inspire global climate solutions and protect the Earth’s fragile systems.

More than 6500 participants from almost 120 countries signed up to attend the event. With more than 4200 scientific presentations and posters, the symposium provides a forum and meeting point for scientists, academics and space industry representatives, as well as students and citizens.