Advances in Satellite Monitoring and Corporate Commitments
In response to global deforestation concerns, over 350 private sector commitments have been made to eliminate deforestation from supply chains by 2020. Accurate monitoring of deforestation hotspots and their drivers is crucial for effective environmental management. The Starling satellite monitoring service, a collaboration between the Earthworm Foundation and Airbus, has revolutionized this process. Companies like Nestlé now benefit from real-time satellite observations to track their supply chains, with Starling operational across all palm oil-producing regions and covering 100% of Nestlé’s palm oil supply chain.
The advancement in satellite imagery technology has significantly enhanced supply chain transparency and accountability. Starling’s data has uncovered a shift in deforestation dynamics, highlighting an increase in smaller-scale deforestation incidents. While large deforestation events linked to agricultural expansion are still evident, the rise in smaller deforestation activities, often spanning one to five hectares, poses a new challenge. For instance, in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, Starling's data revealed a troubling trend of smaller-scale deforestation, with over 2,000 events and a loss of more than 5,300 hectares in early 2019. This shift from plantation-driven deforestation to smaller, sporadic activities underscores the need for targeted solutions that balance agricultural needs with forest conservation.
Collaborative Efforts and Future Directions
The comprehensive monitoring provided by Starling has been instrumental in developing effective strategies against deforestation. The data has facilitated collaboration among stakeholders, including local governments, businesses, NGOs, and farmers, to create landscape-level solutions. Starling has been monitoring various supply chains globally since its launch in 2015, providing critical information to guide sustainability efforts and engage suppliers.
Bastien Sachet, CEO of Earthworm Foundation, highlights the importance of continued action: "We commend Nestlé for their progress but emphasize that more companies need to act on accurate deforestation data and collaborate with key stakeholders to enhance forest conservation efforts." Addressing the evolving deforestation dynamics requires broader collaboration, especially in supporting smallholder farmers. Sachet adds, "Productive farmers are essential for meeting global food demands while preserving forests. We must act now to ensure that both forest conservation and agricultural productivity can coexist."
About Earthworm Foundation
Earthworm Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the relationship between people and nature. With a focus on ground-level impact, the Foundation collaborates with members and partners to drive positive economic, environmental, and social outcomes throughout value chains.
Airbus' Pléiades Neo Satellites
Airbus has made significant strides in Earth observation with the launch of its Pléiades Neo satellites, marking a milestone in remote sensing technology. These satellites, which are exclusively financed, manufactured, owned, and operated by Airbus, represent a major advancement in Earth observation capabilities for commercial, institutional, and governmental users.
The Pléiades Neo constellation, consisting of two identical spacecraft, provides very-high resolution imagery with a precision of 30 cm. This constellation is designed to offer rapid tasking and revisit any location on Earth at least daily. Collectively, the satellites contribute approximately 1,000,000 km² of imagery to Airbus' repository each day.
Users can access this data through Airbus' OneAtlas digital platform, which provides immediate access to both fresh and archived imagery, alongside powerful analytical tools. The very-high resolution imagery produced by these satellites enhances image analysis, benefiting both human experts and machine learning algorithms. This level of detail improves object recognition and provides valuable data for various applications.
The Pléiades Neo constellation excels in geolocation accuracy and spectral band information, making it instrumental in risk analysis and damage assessment for natural hazards. By offering unmatched data quality, frequent updates, and extensive applications across various sectors, the Pléiades Neo satellites are redefining Earth observation services in an information-driven world.
EU Regulations and Copernicus Earth Observation Programme
The European Union's ambitious regulations on forest protection, including the Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR), are supported by the Copernicus Earth observation programme. This programme plays a crucial role in monitoring forest health and progress under the EU Green Deal and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The EU Commission’s DG DEFIS and EUSPA recently organized a workshop titled “Copernicus for Forestry,” which brought together policymakers, scientists, and industry experts to discuss enhancing the use of Earth observation applications for forestry.
The workshop highlighted how Copernicus services, such as the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), contribute to forestry monitoring. While these services may not offer extensive forestry-specific datasets, they provide valuable information on land cover, phenology, and hydrological variables that support forestry management and conservation efforts. C3S, for instance, offers datasets on leaf area index and land cover classification, which are essential for understanding forest health and dynamics.
CAMS, while focusing on atmospheric composition, provides crucial data on biogenic emissions, greenhouse gases, and air quality, which indirectly impact forest ecosystems. By integrating satellite observations with advanced modelling techniques, these services support comprehensive monitoring and management of forest resources.
Uncovering Emerging Deforestation Trends
Recent data from Starling has revealed a significant shift in deforestation patterns. While large-scale deforestation driven by agricultural expansion remains visible, there is a notable increase in smaller-scale deforestation events, often ranging from one to five hectares. This trend is particularly concerning as it threatens critical forest areas. For instance, in Aceh, Sumatra, data from Starling showed that small-scale deforestation events had become a major issue, with over 2,000 incidents and more than 5,300 hectares lost in early 2019. This shift from large-scale to smaller, more dispersed deforestation activities highlights the need for targeted interventions to address these emerging challenges effectively.
Strategic Collaboration for Effective Solutions
Starling’s advanced satellite monitoring capabilities have significantly enhanced the ability of various stakeholders to collaborate and devise comprehensive strategies for combating deforestation. By delivering precise and actionable data on deforestation activities, Starling has played a pivotal role in aligning the efforts of local governments, businesses, NGOs, and farmers. This collaboration is essential for creating landscape-level solutions that balance conservation objectives with agricultural needs. The integration of such detailed insights enables stakeholders to implement targeted and effective measures, promoting a sustainable equilibrium between forest preservation and land use.
Comprehensive Data Integration for Stakeholder Coordination: The effectiveness of Starling’s monitoring service in fostering strategic collaboration is largely due to its ability to integrate and present comprehensive data. This data includes key performance indicators (KPIs) such as deforestation rates, the scale of individual deforestation events, and the spatial distribution of these activities. By providing real-time updates and historical data, Starling facilitates an informed dialogue among stakeholders. For instance, local governments can use this data to formulate policies that address both immediate and long-term deforestation trends. Businesses, on the other hand, can leverage this information to refine their supply chain management and sustainability practices. NGOs benefit from the data by identifying critical areas for conservation efforts, while farmers receive insights that help them adopt practices that minimize environmental impact.
Targeted Action Plans for Deforestation Hotspots: A significant outcome of Starling’s data analysis is the development of targeted action plans for deforestation hotspots. The service’s ability to identify and map deforestation events down to small-scale incidents has allowed stakeholders to focus their efforts on the most affected areas. For example, in regions like Aceh in Indonesia, where smaller-scale deforestation has been increasingly observed, tailored strategies are being devised. These strategies involve setting specific targets for reducing deforestation in identified hotspots and implementing localized interventions. By breaking down deforestation data into actionable targets, stakeholders can track progress more effectively and adjust their strategies as needed. This approach ensures that resources are allocated efficiently and that the measures taken are both relevant and impactful.
Enhancing Collaboration Through Joint Initiatives: To maximize the impact of the data provided by Starling, joint initiatives among stakeholders are crucial. These initiatives often involve collaborative projects that bring together local governments, businesses, NGOs, and farmers to address deforestation issues holistically. For example, partnerships between conservation organizations and local authorities can lead to the establishment of protected areas and the enforcement of land-use regulations.
Concurrently, businesses can work with NGOs to develop and implement sustainable sourcing practices that mitigate deforestation risks. Farmers can be engaged in capacity-building programs that promote sustainable agriculture while preserving forest areas. These collaborative efforts are essential for creating a unified front against deforestation and ensuring that all relevant perspectives are considered in the development of solutions.
The Need for Broader Industry Engagement
Since its inception in 2015, Starling has monitored diverse supply chains globally, including cocoa, palm oil, and pulp and paper. The service has provided valuable information to guide sustainability efforts and engage suppliers. However, addressing deforestation effectively requires broader industry engagement. As noted by Bastien Sachet, CEO of Earthworm Foundation, "While we commend Nestlé for their proactive approach, it is essential for more companies to utilize accurate deforestation data and collaborate with key stakeholders." Expanding industry participation and fostering collective action are vital for amplifying the impact on forest conservation and achieving meaningful progress.
Supporting Smallholder Farmers
One of the critical areas for action is supporting smallholder farmers, who play a significant role in both agricultural production and forest conservation. As emphasized by Sachet, productive farmers are crucial allies in forest preservation and meeting global food demands. Addressing their needs while ensuring forest conservation requires targeted support and innovative solutions. By focusing on smallholder farmers and their challenges, stakeholders can develop strategies that promote both agricultural productivity and forest protection, creating a more sustainable future for both people and the environment.