Amplifying the Global Value of Earth Observation

The report estimates that Earth observation (EO) could contribute $3.8 trillion to global GDP between 2023 and 2030, with annual value-added exceeding $700 billion by 2030. It highlights a 'dual value proposition' where EO drives both economic productivity and environmental benefits, including the potential to eliminate 2 gigatonnes of CO2e annually. The analysis identifies agriculture, mining, oil and gas, and government services as primary beneficiaries. To unlock this potential, the report advocates for increased end-user awareness, open data standards, and the integration of AI to bridge the gap between raw data and actionable insights.

• The potential economic value added from Earth observation (EO) is estimated at $266 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to more than $700 billion by 2030, contributing a cumulative $3.8 trillion to global GDP over that period.
• EO applications can inform interventions capable of reducing annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 2 gigatonnes of CO2e by 2030, which represents approximately 3.6% of current annual global emissions.
• Six specific industries are expected to capture 94% of the projected economic value from EO by 2030: agriculture, electricity and utilities, government, public and emergency services, insurance and financial services, mining, oil and gas, and supply chain and transport.
• Agriculture is projected to be the largest economic beneficiary, with an opportunity of nearly $400 billion by 2030, primarily driven by precision agriculture which can also eliminate 27 million tonnes of GHG emissions annually.
• The mining, oil, and gas sector is a top adopter of EO with a 2023 adoption rate near 60%, and it could eliminate 1.7 gigatonnes of GHG emissions per year through the detection and mitigation of emissions.
• The Asia-Pacific region is expected to capture the largest share of EO's value by 2030, reaching a potential of $315 billion, while Africa and South America are projected to see the highest percentage growth.
• Environmental impact monitoring is a critical 'dual value' application, as over 80% of the identified potential GHG reductions from EO are tied to this category.
• The report identifies three high-impact, scalable use categories to accelerate global impact: environmental impact monitoring, vulnerability analysis (potential $138 billion economic value by 2030), and supply chain monitoring (potential $60 billion economic value by 2030).
• AI-enabled services are expected to lower demand-side barriers by making EO accessible to non-experts, potentially supercharging the analysis of immense EO data catalogues.
• The report emphasizes the need for open standards, such as the SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog (STAC) and Analysis Ready Data (ARD), to ensure interoperability and facilitate the creation of new applications.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Amplifying the Global Value of Earth Observation. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Amplifying_the_Global_Value_of_Earth_Observation_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Amplifying the Global Value of Earth Observation. 2024. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Amplifying_the_Global_Value_of_Earth_Observation_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Amplifying the Global Value of Earth Observation |date=May 2024 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Amplifying_the_Global_Value_of_Earth_Observation_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024amplifying, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Amplifying the Global Value of Earth Observation}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Amplifying_the_Global_Value_of_Earth_Observation_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }