EOMonDis · Project

Satellite-Based Tropical Forest Monitoring Service for Carbon Markets and Deforestation Compliance

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Imagine trying to watch over millions of hectares of tropical forest for illegal logging — but clouds block your view most of the year. EOMonDis combined radar and optical satellite data from the European Sentinel satellites to see through those clouds and detect forest loss in near-real time. They built and tested a commercial monitoring platform across four countries in Africa and Asia, and designed a 3-year business plan to sell it as a service to governments and carbon market buyers.

By the numbers

EUR 1,969,106

EU contribution to develop the monitoring platform

Countries where the system was tested (Malawi, Cameroon, Gabon, Vietnam)

Consortium partners across 3 countries

3-year

Business concept developed for post-project commercialization

Total project deliverables produced

60%

Industry ratio in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Tropical forests are disappearing at alarming rates, and companies making zero-deforestation pledges, governments reporting under REDD+, and carbon market participants all need reliable, affordable monitoring — but persistent cloud cover in the tropics makes satellite observation unreliable with standard optical systems. Ground surveys are too expensive and too slow to cover millions of hectares. The REDD+ carbon market and national forest monitoring programs represent a large and growing demand for operational forest monitoring services that actually work in tropical conditions.

The solution

What was built

The project built a commercial service platform for tropical forest monitoring using combined Sentinel-1 (radar) and Sentinel-2 (optical) satellite data. Concrete deliverables include a prototype service platform and its updated version, plus validated maps and data products delivered in two phases across test sites in Malawi, Cameroon, Gabon, and Vietnam — 20 deliverables total including a 3-year business concept for commercialization.

Audience

Who needs this

REDD+ project developers and carbon credit verification bodiesCommodity traders with zero-deforestation supply chain commitmentsNational forest agencies in tropical countriesEnvironmental consulting firms working in land-use changeESG teams at consumer goods companies sourcing palm oil, soy, cocoa, or timber

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Carbon credits and REDD+ compliance

any

Target: Carbon offset brokers and REDD+ project developers

If you are a carbon credit developer needing verified deforestation data for REDD+ projects — EOMonDis built a service platform using Sentinel-1 and 2 satellite data that detects forest disturbances in near-real time across tropical regions. The system was validated across 4 study sites in Malawi, Cameroon, Gabon, and Vietnam, covering both humid and dry forest types. This can reduce your monitoring costs and provide the evidence base carbon registries require.

Forestry and land-use consulting

mid-size

Target: Environmental consulting firms serving tropical governments

If you are a consulting firm helping tropical nations build national forest monitoring systems — this project developed cost-effective methods that combine optical and radar data to overcome persistent cloud cover, the biggest technical barrier in tropical forest monitoring. The platform was customized with input from users in 4 countries and designed to fit into existing government workflows. A consortium of 5 partners with 60% industry ratio built it for operational deployment, not just research.

Commodity supply chain transparency

enterprise

Target: Agribusiness and commodity traders with zero-deforestation pledges

If you are a commodity trader or food company that made zero-deforestation commitments — EOMonDis delivers satellite-based monitoring that can verify whether your supply chain sourcing areas are deforestation-free. The near-real time detection capability means you get alerts when forest cover changes, not months-old reports. The service was tested in tropical biomes across Africa and Southeast Asia where most deforestation-linked commodities originate.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this monitoring service cost compared to traditional forest surveys?

The project specifically aimed to develop 'cost-effective EO-based methods' and built a 3-year business concept for income generation after project completion. Based on available project data, specific pricing is not published, but the service replaces expensive ground surveys and aircraft monitoring with automated satellite processing using free Sentinel-1 and 2 data, which dramatically lowers the per-hectare cost.

Can this scale to monitor entire countries or large concession areas?

Yes. The system was designed for operational use and tested across 4 countries (Malawi, Cameroon, Gabon, Vietnam) representing a wide range of tropical biomes — both humid and dry forests. The use of Sentinel constellation data means high-frequency, high-resolution coverage is available globally at no data cost.

Who owns the technology and how can I license it?

The project was coordinated by GAF AG, a German private company specializing in geospatial services. The consortium included 3 industry partners across 3 countries. Licensing and commercial access would go through GAF AG as the lead commercial entity. The project explicitly developed a business concept for post-project commercialization.

Does this meet regulatory requirements for REDD+ reporting?

The project was specifically designed to meet UNFCCC REDD+ policy requirements, which the objective describes as 'a large market segment for the EO-industry in Europe.' The monitoring outputs include forest/non-forest classification, deforestation and degradation indicators, and above-ground woody biomass changes — all standard REDD+ reporting metrics.

How quickly can the system detect new deforestation events?

The project developed near-real time detection capability by exploiting the dense time series from Sentinel-1 (radar) and Sentinel-2 (optical) constellations. Radar data penetrates cloud cover, solving the persistent cloud problem that delays optical-only systems by weeks or months in tropical regions.

Can this integrate with our existing GIS and monitoring workflows?

Yes — the project specifically consulted users in 4 target countries for 'customization and improvement of the services to fit into their workflows.' The service platform was updated iteratively (prototype first, then updated version), suggesting an API or web-based delivery model designed for integration.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium is strongly industry-oriented with 3 out of 5 partners from the private sector and a 60% industry ratio — a clear signal this was built for commercial deployment, not just academic publication. The coordinator GAF AG is a German geospatial company (not an SME), suggesting established market presence and sales channels. The consortium spans 3 countries (Austria, Germany, France) and includes 1 university and 1 research organization providing scientific depth. With 1 SME in the mix, there is both corporate scale and entrepreneurial agility. For a business buyer, this means the technology was developed by companies that understand commercial requirements, not just researchers who might shelve results after the project ends.

GAF AGCoordinator · DE
JOANNEUM RESEARCH FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBHparticipant · AT
TELESPAZIO FRANCE SASparticipant · FR
COLLECTE LOCALISATION SATELLITESparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITE PAUL SABATIER TOULOUSE IIIparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

GAF AG (Germany) — a geospatial services company that coordinated the project and likely commercializes the results

Order a report on this consortium See GAF AG profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the EOMonDis team about their tropical forest monitoring service? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction and help you evaluate fit for your use case.

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