Work

Scouting future user requirements for operational Earth observation: The EUMETSAT foresight mechanism

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Operational Earth observation is crucial for many weather, climate and environmental value chains. However, future requirements may be quite different, with merging application domains, artificial intelligence, digital platforms, changing service-delivery models and geopolitical uncertainties all potentially reshaping the way satellite observations are used. Within this context, EUMETSAT has established a foresight mechanism to systematically scan and interpret long-term signals related to evolving user needs, emerging tools and technologies, and changing information-platform and service models. This paper presents the EUMETSAT foresight methodology as a tailored process for user-requirement scouting in support of future operational Earth observation planning, including future Phase 0 activities such as M4G (Meteosat Fourth Generation) and beyond. It describes how expert assumptions, thematic workshop analysis and cross-cutting dimensions can be combined to identify emerging observational-priority questions. First outcomes point to the relevance of an operational Earth system approach and to the need to preserve a robust operational observing backbone while increasing agility, improving timeliness, supporting AI-enabled services, and addressing persistent gaps in key compartments of the Earth system.

Source: Journal of the European Meteorological Society.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jemets.2026.100054