SCO Call for projects 2027

Published on 07/09/2026

The Space for Climate Observatory (SCO) is launching its 2027 Call for Projects and encourages researchers, companies, public actors, and users to propose innovative projects to address the challenges of climate change. This international initiative aims to transform Earth Observation data into concrete, useful, and operational solutions to help societies adapt.

View of the Pleiades from the Dumont D'Urville Antarctic Station - Adélie Land © CNES 2016, Distribution Airbus DS

The SCO works to make satellite data accessible and actionable, enabling the development of operational digital tools directly useful to local territories. We are looking for ambitious, realistic projects led by multidisciplinary consortia.

🎯Objective: to bridge the gap between science and practical use, connect data producers with decision-makers, and support the implementation of local, national, and international public policies.

🌍 Key Topics

Projects may cover a variety of areas such as agriculture, health, land use, extreme weather events, carbon sequestration, energy, greenhouse gases, natural disasters, water resource management, biodiversity, or any other issue directly related to the effects of climate change.

🔍 Nine essential criteria to obtain the SCO accreditation

To be eligible for the SCO accreditation, projects must meet the following criteria:

1. Be fully funded
Applicants must demonstrate that sufficient funding has been secured to carry out the project.

2. Be supported by the relevant SCO Focal Point
Each proposal must receive the support of the relevant SCO Focal Point before being submitted for accreditation. To find out the name and contact details of your SCO Focal Point, please contact us at SCO_Secretariat@cnes.fr

3. Address climate change
The project's core challenge must be directly related to climate change.

4. Respond to a concrete need
It is essential to demonstrate a clear understanding of the requirements and challenges faced by communities and local decision-makers, and to provide adapted solutions.

5. Use satellite data
Proposals should leverage the specific characteristics of Earth Observation data, both public (e.g., Copernicus) and private, to provide indicators that contribute to monitoring, mitigation, and adaptation efforts.

6. Be led by a consortium
Collaboration among various actors such as the space sector, research, civil society, the private sector, and relevant stakeholders - especially end-users - is strongly encouraged. This approach ensures the production of useful results.

7. Deliver an operational solution
By the end of the project, the proposed tool must be operational, accessible, and designed to meet a clearly identified user need, whether through open or restricted access.

8. Provide community contributions
Projects must include outputs for the SCO community (e.g. open-source software, freely accessible technological building blocks, publicly available methodologies, maps made available to the community, etc.).

9. Be scalable
Proposals must present tools and models that can be extended at local and national levels.

🏅 Why apply?

Selected projects will join the SCO portfolio and benefit from:

an internationally recognized accreditation,
personalized support from SCO members,
enhanced visibility through high-level communication support,
access to a global network of over 400 partner institutions

The SCO promotes co-creation of concrete, reproducible solutions with high societal value, directly aligned with local priorities and climate change mitigation objectives.

Click here to submit a project

⚠️🇫🇷 For French based companies and organizations please use Appel à projets SCO France

ℹ️ For more information

Check the FAQ.

🗓️ Schedule

📌 September 7, 2026 : Opening of applications

⏳ December 31, 2026 : Closing of applications

🔍 Jan. 2027 – Apr. 2027 : Evaluation of applications and accreditation committee

🏆 May 2027 : Announcement of the 2027 Edition