Project Description
The GIECA project (Geospatial Intelligence for Environmental Compliance and Assessment) aims to improve how environmental crimes are detected and investigated across the EU using modern technology. New tools like satellite images, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence now make it easier to monitor environmental changes and spot illegal activities.
However, many authorities still struggle to choose the best methods for specific investigations. There’s also a need to help legal professionals—especially judges and prosecutors—understand how satellite data and geospatial tools can be used as reliable evidence in court.
GIECA works to close this gap by showing how these technologies can be used in real cases, building skills within agencies, and supporting smarter decisions in environmental enforcement.
First Phase(2022-2024): GIEDA
The first phase of the project was called GIEDA (Geospatial Intelligence for Environmental Damage Assessment). It focused on finding good methods to detect and assess environmental damage using satellite data. A special workshop with the Copernicus GEOINT4ENV project showed how these tools have already helped in real-life cases.
This phase also introduced how drones and AI can add more detail and help with inspections. The first project reports are available under project outputs.
Next Phase(2025-2027): GIECA
The second phase, GIECA, builds on the first phase by:
- Identifying the best ways to investigate different types of environmental crime,
- Helping environmental agencies learn how to use these tools,
- Raising awareness among prosecutors and judges about how geospatial data can be used as legal evidence,
- Studying more real cases to improve future investigations.
This phase aims to make the use of geospatial intelligence more common and effective in environmental law enforcement across the EU.
Project Outputs
The First Report on Geospatial Intelligence for Environmental Damage Assessment/ 2025
This report details the findings on the application of geospatial intelligence techniques, specifically Earth observation and geostatistical analysis,to detect and assess the environmental damage and to support its remediation. In particular, it investigates how these technologies can be used to produce evidence of environmental damage caused by illegal activities, such as eco-criminal acts and environmental law infringements. Through the analysis of real-world cases and methodological approaches, the report aims to enhance the capacity of environmental agencies and regulators in utilizing geospatial intelligence for environmental damage assessment and legal proceedings