Space4Climate and Digital Task Force for Planning join forces to advance climate-resilient spatial planning

New partnership will connect the UK’s Earth Observation and climate expertise with spatial planning to support better-informed, more resilient decisions.

Space4Climate and the Digital Task Force for Planning (DTFP) have formed a new strategic partnership to accelerate the use of Earth Observation, climate intelligence and digital innovation in spatial planning across the UK.

The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing an initial two-year collaboration spanning research and innovation, education, knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement.

The partnership will bring together expertise from the UK’s Earth Observation and climate community with spatial planning, digital innovation and place-based decision-making. Its central aim is to explore how rapidly developing capabilities in satellite Earth Observation and climate intelligence can be translated more effectively into the decisions that shape cities, towns, infrastructure and the natural environment.

Climate change is increasing the need for planning decisions to take account of complex and interconnected environmental risks, from flooding and extreme heat to water pressures, biodiversity loss and changes in land use. At the same time, advances in satellite technology, Earth Observation and digital analysis are creating increasingly sophisticated ways to understand environmental change at different spatial and temporal scales.

The partnership will focus on bridging these two areas, helping to turn increasingly powerful climate and environmental intelligence into practical evidence for better-informed, long-term decisions about places.

Areas for collaboration will include researching, developing and applying cutting-edge digital research and space technologies in mainstream spatial planning practice and education, with the aim of driving transformative change in how the sector responds to climate change.

Beth Greenaway, Chair of Space4Climate and Head of Earth Observation Delivery at the UK Space Agency, said:

“Climate change presents an unprecedented challenge that requires new approaches, better information, and stronger collaboration. By working with Digital Task Force for Planning, we can help bridge the gap between climate science, Earth Observation technologies, and the planning decisions that shape our communities and environments.”

Dr Wei Yang OBE, CEO and Co-Founder of the Digital Task Force for Planning, said:

“Our partnership with Space4Climate brings together the rapidly advancing capabilities of Earth Observation with spatial planning and place-based decision-making. By bringing these communities together, we want to explore how better evidence and digital innovation can help us understand change, anticipate risk, take more informed and effective action on climate mitigation and adaptation, and make more resilient decisions for the future.”

From Space to Place

The partnership will be launched publicly through FROM SPCAE TO PLACE: Connecting Space Technology and Spatial Planning for a Resilient Future, a joint Space4Climate and Digital Task Force for Planning event at The Building Centre in London on 13 October 2026.

Register for the event HERE

The event will bring together leaders and practitioners from the space, Earth Observation, climate, planning, infrastructure, research and technology sectors to explore how space-derived data and digital innovation can support better decisions about the future of places.