“The stories that you can tell around the [Landsat] images, along with the images, make something very, very powerful. And you need both to make the kind of impact that we need to make today to help people understand the devastation we’ve caused. But [also] to give them hope that we can turn things around. And that’s what these satellite images show so clearly.” Jane Goodall
Abstract
Geospatial finance, a transformative approach, integrates geospatial data into financial theory and practice, offering a powerful tool to address modern environmental and sustainability challenges. At its core is the use of satellite imagery, a key instrument in accurately mapping and monitoring the Earth’s resources, ecosystems, and climate. Such imagery can provide valuable data and insights into the environmental impact of investment activities, assisting investors in identifying potential risks and opportunities, and tracking the effectiveness of sustainable finance initiatives over time. These data enable a deeper understanding of the anthropogenic effects on developed and natural landscapes, empowering decisions and actions that are both informed and effective. The immediate accessibility of satellite-derived data enables responses that are timely and commensurate with the scale of observed phenomena, opening up a world of possibilities for sustainable investment. This chapter highlights the strategic employment of satellite data in the financial sector, underscoring the indispensable role thereof in promoting sustainable investment practices and bolstering climate resilience through informed decision-making.
Keywords: remote sensing, satellites, Landsat, Sentinel, earth observation, spectral signature, spatial resolution, GHG emission, convolutional neural network (CNN), deep learning, machine learning, classification, geospatial finance
Chapter 7 - Satellite Remote Sensing viewing the planet at multiple spatial resolutions