SCO in Norway
As Norways’s space sector continues to grow, there is a clear ambition to continue national support for satellite-based service development and smart data use to streamline climate measures, reporting and monitoring both at home and abroad.
Represented by NOSA, Norway signed the SCO charter in 2023 during the first climate-themed IAF space conference, GLOC, which took place in Oslo and was co-hosted by NOSA. In 2025 the first two Norwegian SCO projects were accredited.
EARTH OBSERVATION IN NORWAY
In the High North, our Arctic territories, such as the Svalbard archipelago, are experiencing rapid warming and alarming effects of climate change. Faced with these phenomena, managing vast oceans and remote areas, the Norwegian science community holds great expertise in satellite-based monitoring of climate impacts on sea ice distribution, glacier retreat, geohazards, water quality, snow and vegetation cover etc. Sharing knowledge and experience through end-user involvement and communities such as the SCO sparks synergies across borders and fields of expertise.
With climate, environment and the High North as key priorities, Earth observation is integral to our national climate and environmental monitoring services, with NOSA funding development as well as space-based innovation in the private sector. In addition, Norway is a member of ESA and participates in the Copernicus component of the EU space programme.
At the same time, Norway has set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supports global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, open access to satellite data is key in mitigating impact of climate change and evaluating effects of measures. With this in mind, through the Norwegian Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) high resolution optical satellite imagery of tropical forest in over 97 countries have been made available via SEPAL, promoting good governance and carbon stock keeping.
Finally, alongside France and other partners, Norway is one of the founding members of the Space4Ocean alliance, which was formally launched at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice in June 2025. The alliance will facilitate collaboration and data sharing for monitoring effects of climate change and promoting good ocean governance.
SCO ACCREDITED PROJECTS
Two Norwegian projects were accredited by SCO in 2025: HabHB et OEKOSAT. Both were submitted to the SCO call for Ocean-themed projects in 2024 and are related to observing and documenting coastal water quality and impacts of climate change. The projects are led by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research and the Norwegian Environment Agency, respectively, and co-financed by the Norwegian Space Agency.