Earth Information Day is an annual mandated event under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It gives Parties an opportunity to engage with the systematic observation community and discuss the latest information on the state of the global climate system and on advances in observing it. The 2026 edition takes place on 9 November (15:00-18:00 UTC+3 / 13:00-16:00 CET) in conjunction with the Antalya Climate Change Conference (COP31), under the overall narrative 'From observations to application'.
The day is built around two questions: What are we observing? And how can Earth observations inform action and decision-making?
The event opens with a plenary segment on the current state of the global climate observing system and related Earth observation initiatives. This is followed by an interactive session, where video presentations and World Café stations give the Earth observation community the chance to present its tools, products, databases and resources and discuss them with participants.
The impact of sustained satellite observations
ESA's Climate Change Initiative (ESA CCI) contributes two videos. The two-minute presentations will be screened in the event's interactive session on Earth observations for effective climate action and reporting:
- Satellite Data Records for Essential Climate Variables: the role of satellites in monitoring these key climate parameters (ECVs).
- Enhancing National Greenhouse Gas Reporting through Satellite Observations
The videos will be available here on 9 November 2026.
Climate observation shows signs of decline
The next Status Report of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), due in February 2027, will provide evidence that the overall observing and data management system is showing signs of decline for the first time in decades. Emerging risks of failure add to persistent gaps, potentially hindering the ability to detect and understand changes across the atmosphere, ocean and land, at a time when robust climate information is more critical than ever. Meanwhile, El Niño is firmly established, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) expects a very strong event to significantly shift rainfall and temperature patterns worldwide while fueling extreme weather.
The role of ESA's Climate Change Initiative
Among the concerns raised by GCOS is the continuity of long-term observations – and building such records lies at the heart of ESA CCI. The initiative generates global satellite data records for ECVs, the parameters defined by GCOS to describe Earth's climate. The datasets support climate science and modelling, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments and the UNFCCC process, and help countries take climate action and report their progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement.