On November 4th–6th, the UK Space Agency was delighted to host the 39th CEOS Plenary in Bath, UK. The annual CEOS meeting was attended by 120 participants onsite, with 50 attendees joining virtually.
The Plenary served as an opportunity to welcome new members to the CEOS family with African Space Agency (AfSA), Hellenic Space Centre (HSC) and Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) all joining as new members and associate members. During plenary itself, key discussion focused on the CEOS Interoperability Handbook, the establishment of a Biodiversity Virtual Constellation, and the development of the CEOS-ARD Strategy 2026. In addition to these items, delegates explored further initiatives aimed at strengthening collaboration, advancing data accessibility, and supporting emerging global challenges.
Participants in the 39th CEOS Plenary in Bath, United Kingdom
The 39th Plenary marked the conclusion of the UK Space Agency’s tenure as CEOS Chair, a period defined by their theme ‘Unlocking Earth Observation for Society’. Under this priority, the UK Space Agency worked closely with CEOS members to enhance the impact of satellite Earth observation data, driving progress across four key areas:
- Using Earth Observation to improve public services
- Supporting the use of Space Data in the Global stocktakes
- Supporting the development of Methane emissions measurements best-practices
- Inspiring the next generation through a ‘ceos in schools’ initiative
UK Space Agency CEOS Chair 2025
Through this work, the UK Space Agency coordinated meetings between CEOS and UNFCCC delegates in support of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) SIT Chair priorities. The team also produced a findings paper summarising CEOS Agency challenges and insights to bridging gaps between satellite EO data and public services.
Jointly led by the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the UK Space Agencies supported CEOS’ efforts to develop common practices for quantifying Methane Emissions from plumes, and complementing this work by leading collaboration with the UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) and partner agencies to begin to make active use of these practices.
Students receiving mentorship from CEOS experts during the Youth Summit
Under the CEOS in Schools initiative, Plenary was preceded by the first-ever CEOS Youth Summit, marking the conclusion of the pilot programme—a year-long effort to empower students to explore how Earth Observation (EO) technologies can help tackle global challenges. Throughout the programme, students engaged in international webinars, collaborated on poster projects, and received mentorship from experts across the CEOS network. Participants from six countries—Australia, Canada, Thailand, Japan, South Africa, and the United Kingdom—took part in this global learning experience. Outcomes from the pilot were presented by the UKSA CEOS Chair Team and summarised in a review paper. To build on this success, the CEOS Chair Team also launched the CEOS Youth Hub, a dedicated platform for educational EO resources, and invited Agencies to contribute materials.
CEOS Chair hand over from UK Space Agency to Team Australia
As ever, the annual CEOS plenary marked a changing of the guard for CEOS leadership and governance roles, with the chairship passing from the UK Space Agency to ‘Team Australia’. Australia has outlined its priorities for the year ahead, focusing on updating the CEOS Analysis Ready Data (ARD) Strategy, enhancing information products on satellite Earth Observation, and strengthening CEOS support for adaptation and resilience. The Plenary also endorsed the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA) as the nominated CEOS Chair for 2027.
JAXA SIT Chair 2024-25
Additionally, the plenary marked the conclusion of JAXA term as CEOS SIT Chair who through their successful leadership supported CEOS advancements in both EO Data Impacts and GHG observations for Space. NASA will now take on the role and have identified advancing understanding of Earth’s water cycle and improving connected data for community resilience as key priorities over the next two years.
UKSA wishes to thank all CEOS entities that have contributed to CEOS activities and to the success of Plenary over the past year. Special thanks to JAXA for their friendship and professionalism as SIT Chair. We wish Team Australia and NASA a productive 2026 chairship year!
UKSA 2025 CEOS Chair Team
