Copernicus - The European Earth Observation Programme

Copernicus [previously known as Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES)] is a European system for monitoring the Earth. Copernicus consists of a complex set of systems that collect data from multiple sources: earth observation satellites and in situ sensors such as ground stations, airborne and sea-borne sensors. The program processes these data and provides users with reliable and up-to-date information through a set of services related to environmental and security issues. The services address six thematic areas: land, marine, atmosphere, climate change, emergency management and security. They support a wide range of applications, including environment protection, management of urban areas, regional and local planning, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, health, transport, climate change, sustainable development, civil protection and tourism. The Copernicus program is coordinated and managed by the European Commission. The development of the observation infrastructure is performed under the aegis of the European Space Agency for the space component and of the European Environment Agency and the Member States for the in situ component.