European school students attend ESA’s Climate Detectives Summit 2025
In brief
On 12 and 13 May 2025, 85 students from 19 countries across Europe gathered at ESA's centre for Earth Observation, ESRIN, to attend the Climate Detectives Summit 2025. It was a unique experience to learn more about Earth sciences and explore the role of Earth observation in monitoring our planet’s health and connect with like-minded students. Over two days, students showcased their contributions to the Climate Detectives Project school year 2024–2025, engaged with ESA experts in Earth observation, participated in hands-on activities, and explored the Phi-lab visitor centre in ESRIN. The Summit was marked by the enthusiastic participation of students, teachers, and ESA experts, fostering learning, curiosity, collaboration, and real-world scientific engagement.
In-depth
The Climate Detectives Summit 2025 was the final event of Climate Detectives edition 2024–2025, celebrating teamwork, learning, and agency competences. Climate Detectives is an interdisciplinary project run by ESA and the national ESEROs, where students up to 18 years old work together to investigate climate and environmental challenges using scientific data and devise strategies to make a change. This year, we had over 10,000 participants joining the project. 19 exceptional teams from the senior category were chosen by the national ESEROs to participate in the Summit at ESA's centre for Earth Observation in Frascati, Italy.
Students presented their projects during an engaging poster session
The event kicked off on 12 May with an inspiring opening ceremony, followed by a poster icebreaker session where students had the chance to present their projects to peers and Earth observation experts. These presentations highlighted the significant impact of each project and offered valuable insights into how local communities are experiencing and responding to global environmental changes.
The poster session provided a dynamic space for students to connect informally, sharing ideas and engaging directly with each other's work. Surrounded by maps, graphs, fieldwork photos, and innovative solutions, the poster session was filled with attentiveness and discussions.
As one student reflected: “I think it was really great and I enjoyed it very much [to see the poster of the other teams], it was good talking in English, another language than my mother tongue. I think this event is a good opportunity for learning and also for meeting new people from all across Europe. Thank you.”
How to become a ‘real’ Climate Detective?
On 13 May, students engaged in interactive sessions with ESA Earth observation experts.
Through interactive Q&A sessions with the experts, students gained a clear understanding of how science, technology, and cooperation are essential in monitoring Earth's environment and addressing climate and environmental challenges. Whether they were interested in coding, science, engineering, or outreach, students were motivated to explore how their passions and strengths could link to possible future career paths in the Earth observation domain.
Looking for the next Earth Observation mission with a debate activity
Students spent the afternoon immersed in hands-on learning during a debate activity on Earth observation mission design, developed by ESA.
During this activity, students played different roles, such as policy makers, scientists, etc., exchanging views on the potential mission objectives and the types of sensors needed to achieve them. Stepping into their roles, they experienced first-hand the challenges of decision-making in planning a space mission – balancing scientific goals with technical requirements and budget constraints. Through compromise and collaboration, the groups worked together towards a shared solution.
Discovering how satellite data is used to track environmental changes
Students explored ESA’s interactive Φ-Experience exhibition, discovering how satellite data is used to track environmental changes, including land, vegetation, water and air.
The space journey does not end at the Summit
After two intense days of hands-on activities, debates and exchanging ideas, students returned home with new knowledge, inspiring memories, new friendships and motivation to continue exploring the climate and environmental challenges facing our planet—and their role in protecting it.
One teacher concluded: “We were thrilled to be part of the Climate Detectives Summit 2025. It was an experience the students will never forget. They are leaving with an amazing baggage for future use. Thank you.”
About Climate Detectives
Climate Detectives is a project by ESA and ESERO that empowers students to investigate real climate and environmental issues, while building skills like critical thinking, teamwork, and scientific research. By exploring local problems and proposing solutions, students learn how they can make a difference.
In the advanced category of the project, teams of students aged between 13-18 years old embrace the role of Climate Detectives by researching and developing their own investigation plans. The students’ investigations can focus on everything about our planet Earth and its care, such as the environment, climate change, sustainable ways of living, biodiversity and much more. For the beginners’ level, there is Climate Detectives Kids, where teams of students up to 12 years old can complete pre-defined, fun, hands-on STEM activities focusing on Earth’s environment.