ESA’s Living Planet Symposium, one of the world’s leading Earth observation conferences, opened on 23 June in Vienna. This plenary session took place on Wednesday, 25 June.

The session focused on the ‘triple planetary crisis’: climate, pollution and accelerating biodiversity loss. Satellites provide a unique vantage point to observe the planet. Space-based data records contribute multiple lines of scientific evidence to mitigate and adapt to the negative consequences of environmental change – and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow. This panel session brings together international partners to discuss ESA's evolving role beyond monitoring the planet's health. Moving forward, how can ESA support smarter, more rapid decision-making and financial flows to deliver effective long-term action?

Panel 1 : Understanding our Planet

• Martin Herold (TOPC Chair, GCOS)
• Eleanor Blyth (JSC member, WCRP)
• Helene Hewitt (Co-Chair, CMIP)
• Greet Maenhout (Head of Bioeconomy Unit, JRC)

Panel 2 : From science to policy and beyond

• Dyfed Aubrey (Regional Director for Europe, UN-Habitat)
• Dusan Chrenek( Principal Adviser, DG-CLIMA)
• Renaud Seligmann(Director for Strategy & Operations, Sustainable Development Practice Group, WorldBank)
• Hermann Ludwig Moeller(Director, ESPI)
• Fani Kallianou de Jong (Principal Manager, EBRD)

Watch more videos from the Living Planet Symposium 2025.