Satellite-based climate indicators for the Swedish solar energy, and agriculture and forestry sectors (SCARLET)

Research Project, 2026 – 2028

As the effects of climate change become increasingly tangible, the adaptation of Swedish sectors and society is becoming an unavoidable reality. Any transition to a sustainable future, however, needs to be grounded in independent climate observations that enable better decision making and policy formulations. Renewable energy and food security are the two sectors that are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Although we find ourselves in the golden era of Earth Observation (EO), the integration of historical satellite-based climate observations in the decision- making process in these sectors in Sweden has been either very slow or largely absent.

By bringing together the national and international EO expertise and by combining the strengths of AI/ML methods and the EUMETSAT and ESA datasets, the aim of this project is to develop and produce climate indicators, providing a detailed view of the ongoing climate changes for stakeholders and the general public. In particular, the project will help the climate adaptation of the solar energy and the agriculture and forestry sectors in Sweden. The project will also provide a roadmap on the integration of satellite-based climate indicators into the SMHI’s climate services, helping SMHI to better serve the stakeholders. This is the first comprehensive study of its kind in Europe.