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Stories

Voices and success stories from the GDA community
Mapping urban heat and vulnerability in Abidjan
Urban Sustainability
27 March 2026

Mapping urban heat and vulnerability in Abidjan

Heat stress in a fast-growing West African metropolis Abidjan is expanding rapidly, driven by strong economic growth and continuous population inflows. Much of this growth has been unplanned, with dense … Read more
Coastal carbon and fishery assessment in Madagascar and Comoros
FAST EO Co-FINANCING FACILITY
20 March 2026

Coastal carbon and fishery assessment in Madagascar and Comoros

Satellites supporting coastal resilience in Madagascar and Comoros Across the western Indian Ocean, coastal ecosystems play a vital role in protecting communities, sustaining livelihoods, and responding to climate change. Mangrove … Read more
Cooling the City: How EO is supporting heat resilience in Novi Sad
Urban Sustainability
17 March 2026

Cooling the City: How EO is supporting heat resilience in Novi Sad

The ESA Global Development Assistance Urban Sustainability (GDA Urban) activity is working with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to strengthen climate resilience in Novi Sad, Serbia. The … Read more
Strengthening coastal resilience and forest management in Bangladesh with EO
Forest Management
06 March 2026

Strengthening coastal resilience and forest management in Bangladesh with EO

The ESA Global Development Assistance (GDA) Forest Management activity is supporting the World Bank (WB) in the preparation of a multisectoral coastal resilience programme in Bangladesh, designed to help safeguard … Read more
Assessing road infrastructure quality across Pakistan
Transport & Infrastructure
03 March 2026

Assessing road infrastructure quality across Pakistan

The ESA Global Development Assistance (GDA) Transport & Infrastructure (T&I) activity supports a variety of World Bank transport and disaster-risk projects in Pakistan, including the Khyber Pass Economic Corridor Project, … Read more
Announcing the winner of the ESA GDA Impact Stories from Space Challenge
IMPACT COMMUNICATION
03 March 2026

Announcing the winner of the ESA GDA Impact Stories from Space Challenge

The GDA Impact Stories from Space Challenge is created to surface clear, evidence-based examples of Earth Observation (EO) being used in development and resilience work. Its aim is to highlight … Read more
Co-developing EO services with the World Bank for Timor-Leste’s climate–health resilience
Public Health
26 February 2026

Co-developing EO services with the World Bank for Timor-Leste’s climate–health resilience

Timor-Leste faces growing climate-related challenges that affect crops, food production and public health. Shifting rainfall patterns are increasing climate stress on rain-fed agriculture and contributing to the spread of diseases … Read more
Water Security in Somalia: How IFAD is using Earth Observation to strengthen groundwater management
Water Resources
23 February 2026

Water Security in Somalia: How IFAD is using Earth Observation to strengthen groundwater management

Somalia is highly vulnerable to climate shocks, with frequent droughts and floods disrupting agriculture and livestock-based livelihoods. In this context, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is exploring … Read more
From space to preparedness: How Earth Observation can strengthen emergency response and resilience in the Dominican Republic
FAST EO Co-FINANCING FACILITY
21 January 2026

From space to preparedness: How Earth Observation can strengthen emergency response and resilience in the Dominican Republic

How does Earth Observation move from a map to a decision in development finance? In the Dominican Republic, the World Bank used ESA’s GDA Fast EO Co-Financing Facility to integrate … Read more
Enhancing Earth Observation for land cover and land use classification in Vietnam
FAST EO Co-FINANCING FACILITY
05 January 2026

Enhancing Earth Observation for land cover and land use classification in Vietnam

For International Financial Institutions, the challenge is no longer whether Earth Observation can add value, but how satellite data can be integrated into operational analysis in a way that is … Read more
ESA’s GDA in 2025: A year of acceleration, partnerships and measurable impact
IMPACT COMMUNICATION
29 December 2025

ESA’s GDA in 2025: A year of acceleration, partnerships and measurable impact

Partnerships that shape how Earth Observation enters development finance A central thread throughout the year was the deepening exchange with International Financial Institutions (and not only them). Rather than isolated … Read more
Insights from the GDA Impact Dashboard: Understanding where and how EO supports IFI operations
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
19 December 2025

Insights from the GDA Impact Dashboard: Understanding where and how EO supports IFI operations

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Global Development Assistance (GDA) programme aims to integrate satellite Earth Observation (EO) into everyday decision-making processes and practices of International Financial Institutions’ (IFIs) development operations. … Read more
Using satellite images to support erosion control in Madagascar
FAST EO Co-FINANCING FACILITY
15 December 2025

Using satellite images to support erosion control in Madagascar

Earth observation is emerging as a key resource for development finance. In Madagascar, it gives the German Development Bank KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau) a clearer view of where anti-erosion measures … Read more
Understanding the planning challenges for floating solar PV in Indonesia
Clean Energy
15 December 2025

Understanding the planning challenges for floating solar PV in Indonesia

EO Supporting UNOPS and ADB in Early Planning As Indonesia scales up its renewable-energy ambitions, UNOPS and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) increasingly require consistent and objective environmental information to … Read more
Satellite data helps monitor heat stress in Pakistan through climate-health platform
Public Health
30 October 2025

Satellite data helps monitor heat stress in Pakistan through climate-health platform

Rising temperatures and more frequent extreme heat events pose an increasing threat to public health in Pakistan. Ranked among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, Pakistan regularly faces heat waves that … Read more
Tracing macroplastics in West Africa’s coastal waters
Marine
08 October 2025

Tracing macroplastics in West Africa’s coastal waters

Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing global environmental challenges, threatening marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and human livelihoods. In West Africa, where millions depend on the ocean for food … Read more