The 2005 Edition of the CEOS Earth Observation Handbook has been
prepared by the European Space Agency (ESA). The report presents the
main capabilities of satellite Earth observations, their applications,
and a systematic overview of present and planned Earth observation
satellite missions and their instruments. It also explores society’s
increasing need for information on our planet. As humanity exceeds the
planet’s capacity to sustain us, such information is playing a vital
role in understanding, monitoring, managing and mitigating key Earth
System processes. This is true on a global scale, in support of
improved global environmental governance and the underlying conventions
and treaties (such as the Kyoto Protocol), and on regional and national
scales, as countries adapt competitively to shrinking reserves of
natural resources and to the basic needs of expanding populations.
Earth System information may be considered as the essential foundation
for sustainable development policies aimed at ensuring our continued
health and prosperity.
Earth Observation Handbook
The 2005 Edition of the CEOS Earth Observation Handbook has been prepared by the European Space Agency (ESA).