Collect Earth was developed by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).

Target audience

The tool is aimed at professionals in forest management, environmental monitoring, and land use sectors, including finance professionals involved in sustainable finance, impact investing, and environmental risk assessment. It can support decision-makers, researchers, and policymakers working with forest data and land use change.

Overview

Collect Earth is a remote sensing tool designed for land use monitoring, particularly focused on forests. It enables users to collect data from satellite imagery, assess land cover, and monitor changes over time. The tool simplifies the process of creating and updating forest inventories, supporting decision-making processes related to forest management, environmental monitoring, and land use policy.

Key features

• Remote sensing: Collect Earth uses satellite images to gather data on forest areas, land cover types, and changes in these ecosystems over time.
• User-friendly interface: The tool offers an easy-to-use platform for users to mark observations directly on satellite images, enabling remote monitoring without needing fieldwork.
• Accuracy and validation: It allows for the validation of land cover classification and forest inventory data, improving the reliability of environmental data.
• National forest inventories: The tool supports the creation and updating of National Forest Inventories (NFIs) through multi-phase assessments, which are essential for understanding forest carbon stocks and land use changes.

Relevance to finance professionals

Finance professionals in sustainable and impact investing can use Collect Earth to assess the environmental risks associated with deforestation, forest degradation, and land-use changes. The tool provides critical data that can inform investment decisions, particularly in sectors reliant on forest resources or subject to environmental regulations. For those involved in green bonds, climate finance, or ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) metrics, this tool is a valuable asset for verifying the integrity of forest-related projects and ensuring they meet sustainability standards.

Practical use for financial risk assessment

By using Collect Earth, finance professionals can integrate satellite-based data into their environmental risk assessments, enabling more accurate evaluation of potential investment risks in land-based sectors. It can assist in quantifying forest cover changes, helping professionals track progress towards carbon offset targets and climate mitigation goals. This is particularly relevant when assessing the impact of projects in industries such as agriculture, forestry, and infrastructure development.

In conclusion, Collect Earth is a versatile tool that can enhance data collection for forest monitoring, provide insights into land use and environmental changes, and support finance professionals in making informed, data-driven decisions in sustainable finance.