The workshop aims to:
- Identify and review methods enabled by geospatial data sources, and particularly EO, to support better detection and characterization of environmental crimes and their consequences;
- Enhance awareness of the latest developments in geospatial and open source intelligence in the context of multidisciplinary evidence collection to assure environmental compliance;
- Identify gaps in administrative capacity or expertise among enforcement authorities;
- Collect insights on priority areas to improve the integration of EO capabilities in intelligence workflows and protocols for environmental crime investigations;
- Aligning with stakeholders’ agenda, highlight the importance of developing crime-countering strategies that are evidence-based and data-driven, addressing both the root causes of crime and its environmental, societal and economic dimensions;
- Inform the definition of requirements for EO and other geospatial products and services supporting environmental crime investigations;
- Outline a way forward to implement new solutions for a wider uptake of EO into investigations of environmental crimes within the ESA-JRC cooperation activities.
This workshop is intended for researchers, governmental and non-governmental organizations, investigative teams, legal bodies, and international agencies that develop or use EO for environmental compliance assurance, and particularly enforcement activities.
These includes:
The workshop will be hosted at the ESA – ESRIN, Frascati (Italy), as an in-person meeting, with the possibility to follow the workshop remotely.
Topic areas:
The workshop will be structured around the main aspects of environmental compliance assurance : promotion, monitoring, enforcement, and capacity building.
Abstracts can be submitted indicating one of these four areas.
Promote
EO technology serves as a powerful tool for raising businesses’ and duty-holders’ awareness of their compliance with environmental regulations by offering insights into the impact of their operations on the environment. For instance, EO data can help assess greenhouse gas emissions, land usage, water pollution levels, resources exploitation. This EO-derived data facilitates informed decision-making to ensure business operations are environmentally compliant. Presentations on EO-driven ‘preventive’ measures should be submitted within this thematic area.
Monitor
Space technology can help assess and detect non-compliance with environmental regulations. Various types of sensors deployed in space offer extensive monitoring capabilities. For instance, spectrometers sensors can be used to measure atmospheric pollution, thermal infrared sensors to identify deforestation fires, optical sensors to detect wildlife poaching, and SAR sensors to track illegal fishing activities and oil spills, clear forest cuts, changes into mining sites among others. Such data can provide solid evidence and early alerts for enforcement in inspections, audits, investigations, and examination of public complaints. Presentations on EO and OSINT enabled ‘diagnostics’ should be submitted within this thematic area.
Enforce
Enforcement provides the means to of stopping non-compliance with environmental rules, applying sanctions, and repairing environmental damage. It covers, amongst other things, official warnings, cease-and-desist orders, administrative or criminal proceedings, application of sanctions, and demands to take remedial action. Presentations on EO and OSINT-backed ‘corrective’ measures should be submitted within this thematic area.
Capacity Building
Capacity building supports the effective uptake and operational use of EO and OSINT technologies for environmental compliance. It includes activities aimed at strengthening institutional, technical and analytical capacities among competent authorities, enforcement bodies, businesses and other relevant stakeholders. This may cover training, knowledge transfer, development of guidance, sharing of best practices, creation of user-friendly tools, and support to data interpretation and integration into existing compliance workflows. Presentations on EO- and OSINT-enabled approaches that enhance skills, cooperation and operational readiness for environmental compliance assurance should be submitted within this thematic area.
Thematic areas:
- Air pollution/ emissions
- Wildlife, Biodiversity and Protected Areas Crime
- Fisheries and marine environmental crime, including IUU Fishing and discharges
- Land Pollution, illegal waste and Hazardous Substances
- Illegal mining, quarrying and sand extraction
- Illegal water abstraction and water pollution
- Forestry crimes
- Illegal Fires and Burning
- Other
Abstract Submission Period:
The system is open from 03 June 2026 to 10 July 2026.
Authors are encouraged to submit high-quality abstracts presenting innovative research, developments, or applications relevant to the conference thematic areas. All submissions will be reviewed by the Programme Committee.
NOTE: Abstract length should be at least 200 words and maximum 300 words (one A4 page, single space normally contains 400-500 words).
Participation
Participation in the oral and poster programme will be decided by the Programme Committee following the review of submitted abstracts.
REGISTRATION
The physical participation to the workshop is upon invitation only. Registration does not automatically guarantee participation and will be subject to validation by the organisers.
No participation fees will be charged. Participants are expected to finance their own travel and accommodation expenses.
| Abstract submission opening | 01 June 2026 |
| Abstract submission closing | 10 July 2026 |
| Notification of acceptance | 03 August 2026 |
| Issue of Preliminary Programme | 04 August 2026 |
| Registration Opening | 04 August 2026 |
| Registration Closing | 01 September 2026 |
| Issue of Final Programme | at the workshop |
| Workshop | 29 September to 01 October 2026 |