External Resources
The following resources cover ESA-funded projects and open tools relevant to urban EO users from
air quality and green transition planning to land use mapping, infrastructure monitoring, and SDG 11 reporting.
ESA-Funded Projects & Tools
Urban air quality
CitySatAir
Developed and validated a methodology to combine Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI satellite data with low-cost sensor
networks and official station measurements to produce high-resolution maps of urban air quality — including
surface NO₂ and PM2.5 — at scales directly relevant to human exposure. Specifically aimed at cities in low-
and middle-income countries with limited monitoring infrastructure. Led by KNMI, NILU and Lobelia, funded by
ESA. Completed March 2025; results, tools and publications freely available.
Green transition platform
ESA Green Transition Information Factory (GTIF)
A cloud-based platform providing interactive EO-enabled tools and narratives for city planners, industry and
citizens across five Green Transition domains: Sustainable Cities, Energy Transition, Mobility Transition,
Carbon Accounting, and Climate Adaptation. Urban capabilities include urban heat island trend analysis,
building rooftop solar potential and thermal insulation assessment, PM2.5 pollution mapping, and mobility-air
quality linkages. Initially deployed for Austria; expanding to Baltic States, UK, Ireland, France and beyond.
Operational Data Services
Urban land use
Copernicus Urban Atlas
High-resolution, pan-European land cover and land use maps for ~790 Functional Urban Areas (50,000+
inhabitants) across EEA38 countries and the UK. Now updated every three years (2006, 2012, 2018, 2021
editions), with 19 urban thematic classes, plus a Street Tree Layer and Building Heights layer. Directly
supports urban planning, sustainable urbanisation reporting, green space assessment, and land take monitoring
under the EU Biodiversity Strategy. Free to download.
Ground motion & subsidence
Copernicus European Ground Motion Service (EGMS)
Provides millimetre-precision measurements of ground motion and surface deformation across all Copernicus
Participating States, derived from Sentinel-1 InSAR time series. Updated annually with both ascending and
descending track products, calibrated to GNSS. Used by city authorities to monitor structural integrity of
buildings, bridges, dams and tunnels; assess subsidence risk; and support flood resilience planning in coastal
cities. Freely accessible via the EGMS Explorer.
Global urban data
JRC Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL)
The global reference dataset for human settlements: multitemporal grids of built-up surface, building volume
and height, resident population, and degree of urbanisation classification — spanning 1975 to 2030 at 10–100 m
resolution. Derived from Sentinel-2, Landsat and census data. Used for SDG 11 monitoring, urban growth trend
analysis, disaster exposure assessment, and climate adaptation planning. All data are free and open under CC
BY 4.0, accessible via direct download, Google Earth Engine, or the Copernicus HDX.
Urban Knowledge & SDG Platforms
SDG 11 toolkit
EO Toolkit for Sustainable Cities & Human Settlements
A joint initiative of GEO EO4SDG and UN-Habitat, launched in 2021 with contributions from 40+ international
organisations. Provides open guidance, datasets, use cases and tools for applying EO to monitor SDG 11
indicators and the New Urban Agenda — covering urban planning, informal settlements, open public spaces,
transport access, air quality, and urban resilience. Includes national and city-level implementation examples
and links to training resources.
