Terra em Foco 2026 aims to accelerate the adoption of OT data
As pressure on land management intensifies, from responding to extreme events to climate monitoring, Terra em Foco 2026 brings together science, the public sector, academia, and companies in Coimbra to accelerate the operational adoption of EO data.
The National Earth Observation Conference – Terra em Foco 2026 will be held on March 17th and 18th at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra (FCTUC), bringing together the scientific community, the public sector, and companies involved in the use of Earth Observation (EO) data and technologies in response to specific challenges, from land management to climate.
The 2026 edition features the collaboration of FCTUC, the Centre of Competence for Geospatial Information (CGEO) of the Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region, the Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN), and AED Cluster Portugal, with sponsorship from Development Seed. Sessions will be held in the Laginha Serafim Auditorium, in the Civil Engineering Building of FCTUC.
At a time when recent episodes of flooding in the centre of the country have once again highlighted the need for rapid and reliable information to support risk management and decision-making, Terra em Foco 2026 brings together sessions dedicated to land monitoring, resource management, and the ability to transform data into action, bringing science, technology, and end users closer together.
The programme highlights new space infrastructure and capabilities, which are rendering EO increasingly useful in an operational context, namely through increased revisit frequency and the availability of data to support decision-making.
On the first day, the conference opens with a presentation by Craig Donlon, Head of the Earth Observation Systems Architecture Office at the European Space Agency (ESA), on new missions and future trends of space in Europe. It will be followed by a session dedicated to space constellations and infrastructure, moderated by Nuno Miranda, the Portuguese official responsible for managing the Sentinel-1 mission of the Copernicus programme, who will also provide an update on the procurement plan and expected developments for the next generation of Sentinel-1 satellites.
The programme includes contributions from Portuguese experts in international organisations and leading entities, including Pedro Maciel (ECMWF), Nuno César de Sá (WWF Germany), and Joana Simões (Open Geospatial Data), in sessions on climate, data integration, and interoperability.
On the second day, Isabel Trigo, from IPMA, will address the role of EO satellites in meteorology and climate science, framing sessions dedicated to the atmosphere, climate, and climate change, and the complementary infrastructure and technologies that support applications and services.
The adoption of EO data and technology is, in fact, a central axis of the entire conference and is highlighted in a session dedicated to accelerating its adoption, which includes the presentation of Vieira d’Almeida’s Space EO Guide, a practical guide that aims to support organisations and end users in navigating the market, technical, and regulatory opportunities and challenges associated with Earth Observation.
In parallel with the sessions, Terra em Foco includes a component of bilateral meetings, in a dedicated space, promoted in collaboration with AED Cluster Portugal. Registration, open to conference participants, is done through the b2match platform, where you can create a profile and propose meetings with potential partners.
