The TRANSCEND project has officially submitted its feedback to the European Commission’s public consultation, “Water sector – accelerating digitalization for better management and sustainability.” This initiative aims to shape the future of European water policy by leveraging digital solutions to address escalating climate and environmental pressures.
The core of TRANSCEND’s contribution focuses on how digital transformation—specifically through Earth Observation (EO) and advanced geospatial data—can help close the agricultural data gap.
Agriculture remains one of the most water-intensive sectors in Europe, yet significant data gaps persist regarding actual water usage and abstraction.
By utilizing satellite imagery and remote sensing, water managers and policymakers can:
- Identify irrigation needs
- Estimate crop water consumption
- Support multi-level management
While the technical capabilities of remote sensing have advanced rapidly, the submission emphasizes that technology alone cannot solve the data gap. Technical, institutional, and governance challenges remain significant barriers to widespread adoption. Investment in digital monitoring tools must be accompanied by investment in the institutional and legal frameworks needed to act on this information.
This comprehensive policy contribution was led by Dr. Tim Foster and his team at The University of Manchester.
The full detailed contribution submitted to the European Commission can be accessed on the official EU Portal.