Satellite view of landscapes intertwined with economic charts symbolizing data-driven environmental decisions.

Unlocking Earth's Secrets: How Economic Impact Assessments are Changing Climate Action

Beau Callahan in Climate & Environment December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Dive into the world of Earth Observation (EO) and discover how SERVIR's innovative tools are helping us measure the real-world value of environmental solutions."

In an era defined by climate challenges and the urgent need for sustainable development, making informed decisions is more critical than ever. Earth observation (EO), powered by satellites, sensors, and advanced data analytics, is transforming how we understand and manage our planet's resources. This technology provides essential data for policymakers, businesses, and communities, enabling them to prepare for challenges, seize opportunities, and build resilience in the face of uncertainty.

SERVIR, a joint initiative of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and NASA, is at the forefront of this effort. By partnering with experts worldwide, SERVIR uses EO to address pressing environmental and climate issues. The key is to quantify the impact of its services to improve and communicate their true value. This is where economic impact assessments (EIAs) come in.

This article explores how EIAs are revolutionizing the way we perceive the value of EO-based services. We’ll look at SERVIR's potential interests in EIAs, uncover how EIAs can enhance SERVIR’s ability to measure and communicate the impact of its services, and highlight the groundbreaking work being done to link environmental observations with economic prosperity.

Why Economic Impact Assessments Matter

Satellite view of landscapes intertwined with economic charts symbolizing data-driven environmental decisions.

Economic Impact Assessments (EIAs) are a broad set of methods used to analyze the impacts of existing projects, programs, or policies on the economy of a region. They help identify the potential impacts of new policies or programs, offering a clear view of their applicability and feasibility. EIAs consider a range of factors, including production, job creation, income, and overall livelihood, while also analyzing ecological changes triggered by specific policies and programs.

The use of Earth observation (EO) data brings significant economic benefits across various environmental and climate issues. EO data is crucial for:

Monitoring Crop Health and Yield: EO data helps track crop health, consumptive water use, and evapotranspiration.
Detecting and Forecasting: It identifies conditions conducive to crop diseases and pest infestations and forecasts adverse weather conditions and potential flood impacts.
Supporting Climate Resilience: EO assists farmers in adapting to changing water availability and climate conditions.
Environmental Monitoring: It aids in monitoring deforestation, illegal mining, sustainable forestry management, and water quality.

SERVIR aims to integrate EIAs into all its hub regions and thematic areas to enhance service design and delivery. SERVIR also seeks to collaborate with other stakeholders in this effort, contributing to the emerging field of EIA for EO-driven services valuation and fostering interdisciplinary understanding of impacts.

The Future of EO and EIAs

The journey to fully integrate EIAs into EO-driven services is ongoing, and it promises a future where environmental stewardship and economic prosperity go hand in hand. By continuing to refine methodologies, share knowledge, and foster collaboration, initiatives like SERVIR are paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient world. The insights gained from EIAs will empower decision-makers, drive innovation, and ensure that our efforts to protect the planet also contribute to a thriving global economy.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2405.15672,

Title: Serving Economic Prosperity: Economic Impact Assessments (Eia) On Earth Observation-Based Services And Tools By Servir

Subject: econ.gn q-fin.ec

Authors: Reetwika Basu, Eric Anderson, Chinmay Deval, Kelsey Herndon, Amanda Markert, Lena Pransky, Emil Cherrington, Aparna Phalke, Alqamah Sayeed

Published: 24-05-2024

Everything You Need To Know

What is the primary goal of SERVIR, and how does it relate to Earth Observation (EO)?

SERVIR, a joint initiative of USAID and NASA, uses Earth Observation (EO) to address environmental and climate issues. The main aim is to quantify the impact of its EO-based services to improve and communicate their true value. SERVIR utilizes advanced data analytics from satellites and sensors to provide essential data for policymakers, businesses, and communities, enabling them to make informed decisions, prepare for challenges, and build resilience.

How do Economic Impact Assessments (EIAs) enhance the value of Earth Observation (EO) services within the context of SERVIR?

Economic Impact Assessments (EIAs) are crucial for SERVIR because they quantify the benefits of Earth Observation (EO) services. EIAs analyze the impacts of projects, programs, or policies on a region's economy. They consider factors like production, job creation, income, and ecological changes. By integrating EIAs, SERVIR can measure and communicate the true economic and environmental value of its services, making climate action more effective and economically sound. For example, EIAs can show how EO data used by SERVIR helps in monitoring crop health, detecting potential crop diseases, and supporting climate resilience, leading to economic gains for farmers and communities.

What are some practical applications of Earth Observation (EO) data, and how do they contribute to both environmental protection and economic benefits?

Earth Observation (EO) data provides many benefits across environmental and climate issues. EO data is used for monitoring crop health and yield, detecting and forecasting adverse weather conditions, and supporting climate resilience by adapting to changing water availability. Furthermore, it aids in environmental monitoring, including deforestation tracking, illegal mining detection, sustainable forestry management, and water quality assessment. For instance, by monitoring crop health, EO helps farmers optimize their practices, increasing yields and incomes, while also conserving resources. Similarly, monitoring deforestation helps in protecting ecosystems and preventing economic losses associated with environmental degradation.

How is SERVIR planning to integrate Economic Impact Assessments (EIAs) into its operations?

SERVIR aims to integrate Economic Impact Assessments (EIAs) into all its hub regions and thematic areas to enhance service design and delivery. SERVIR is actively collaborating with other stakeholders in this effort, contributing to the emerging field of EIA for EO-driven services valuation. This integration will allow SERVIR to better measure and communicate the impact of its services, driving innovation and ensuring that efforts to protect the planet also contribute to a thriving global economy.

What is the long-term vision for the relationship between Earth Observation (EO) and Economic Impact Assessments (EIAs), and what are the implications for sustainability?

The long-term vision is to fully integrate Economic Impact Assessments (EIAs) into Earth Observation (EO)-driven services, creating a future where environmental stewardship and economic prosperity go hand in hand. This integration promises a more sustainable and resilient world. By refining methodologies, sharing knowledge, and fostering collaboration, initiatives like SERVIR are paving the way for this future. The insights gained from EIAs will empower decision-makers, drive innovation, and ensure that efforts to protect the planet also contribute to a thriving global economy. This combined approach will allow for better allocation of resources, informed policy decisions, and the creation of new opportunities for economic growth that are compatible with environmental conservation.