Europe has always been strong on climate data. From Copernicus satellites to national weather stations, from ocean buoys to community networks, the continent generates vast streams of information.
But availability of data is not the same as coherence. Too often, these data remain scattered, locked in silos, or missing where they are most needed.
The EuroGEO Workshop 2025 in The Hague brought the issue into sharp focus. Over three days of debate - on agriculture, ecosystems, energy, disaster resilience, and urban adaptation - one question kept resurfacing: how can we turn a patchwork of observations into a system that truly delivers Earth Intelligence to everyone, everywhere.
Funded by the European Union and delivered by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) and the Group on Earth Observation (GEO), iClimateAction is designed to answer precisely this. Its purpose is not just to collect data, but to connect it.
The project is aligning the way Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) - such as temperature, soil moisture, sea level, or greenhouse gas concentrations - are measured, shared, and used. In practice, this means reducing data fragmentation, making datasets visible, and ensuring they support better decisions for people and the planet.
For scientists, this means ensuring that climate datasets are accessible, comparable, and standardized.
Datasets have to speak the same language, to effectively support the climate services and policies that depend on them,
said Caterina Tassone of the GCOS.
She added that ECVs are everywhere, touching all aspects of climate action, but they must also be accessible to guide decisions. "From a remote station in the Antarctic to a policymaker on the other side of the world, the challenge is to ensure the connection is made, so that decision-makers know the data exists and how to use it."
For governments, iClimateAction means decisions based on stronger evidence and clearer accountability for international commitments.
Decision-makers need to trust that the system is unified and robust
said Paolo Laj of the WMO.
"In this sense, climate data is not a by-product of science but an essential part of the infrastructure that underpins climate action - an opportunity to build trust, ensure that international commitments are met, and deliver impact where it matters most."
The stakes are immediate. Cities are already feeling the strain of rising heat.
The real question is whether data can be translated into tools that local authorities actually use
said Martyn Clark of GEO, who joined discussions on urban heat resilience. "Science must travel from satellites to city halls in forms that inform planning and protect lives."
Communication was also a key feature of the workshop. In a session on how EuroGEO can build a connected Earth observation ecosystem, Alexandre Brecher of iClimateAction stressed the need for adaptable content: clear visuals, simple explanations and versatile assets. "There are 55 Essential Climate Variables, and just as many stories we can draw from them. What matters now is simplifying how we communicate: finding the right hooks that spark interest and make these data more visible."
iClimateAction is still in its early days, but EuroGEO showed how quickly it can become more than a project: a platform for alignment, a bridge between science and society, and an opportunity for Europe to deliver Earth Intelligence for All.
By Paolo Laj, Caterina Tessone, Martyn Clark, Alexandre Brecher.
Paolo Laj is Chief of Atmospheric Environment Research (GAW Programme) at the World Meteorological Organization and iClimateAction Project Coordinator. Caterina Tassone is Head of the Global Climate Observing System and Scientific Officer for the Atmospheric Observation Panel for Climate. Martyn Clark is Urban Resilience Coordinator at the GEO Secretariat. Alexandre Brecher is the Creative Content Lead for iClimateAction.
