eARTh observation: data, knowledge, territories and intelligent cities

The concept of intelligent cities seems to be much more than a trend. They’re here to stay, and to make our lives better and easier. In general, we associate their development with all kinds of revolutionary sensors, but much of their success will be based on the creative transformation of data into knowledge. Data capture, associated with a geographical location, in the anatomy of an ecosystem—the city—in which data represents blood flow will allow us to keep our finger on the pulse of the cities of the future.

The periodic synoptic views offered by platforms of earth observation, from the air or from space, along with new and creative forms of using them will become vital to the development, monitoring and evaluation of actions and policies in such varied fields as resource management, energy, environment and health, that make our cities more intelligent territories for the benefit of citizens.