UDENE - Urban Development Explorations using Natural Experiments

Urbanization is increasing globally, with almost all cities growing in population. This growth is more prominent in Europe and North Africa, where 70% and 78% of people, respectively, live in cities. Climate change, inequalities and conflict drive huge populations to cities, in search of a better life. However, urban development is not generally guided by evidence-based informed decisions, especially in emerging countries. As a result, liveability in cities worsen. 

The UDENE Project aims to use large amounts of Earth Observation (EO) data from Copernicus satellites and local sources to support evidence-based decision making for urban development, especially in international partner countries. To support the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 of making cities safe, resilient, and sustainable, the project will essentially create a virtual laboratory for urban planners and visionaries to test their development ideas. Multi-dimensional models of urban areas across time and across countries will be used to support urban planners in exploring natural occurrences of similar development ideas, concepts, or projects in similar urban areas (natural experiments). 

The wealth of EO data in fast accessible Data Cube format provides a great search space for exploring natural experiments, by exploiting greater value-add of causal analysis. Project outcomes will be embodied by an exploration tool for natural experiments and a match-making tool which will leverage the exploration tool by linking the existing EO product, process, or service offerings. Project activities include cooperations for data acquisition and partnership building that will be facilitated by Open (FSTP) Calls. We are confident that our evidence-based approach for urban development as powered by vast EO data will complement the existing EO product or service offers and expand the European excellence in EO technology utilization with urban development applications that have high economic and societal impact.