Global Reach: The Charter's International Collaborations: The UN and Copernicus EMS
Part II – Collaboration with UNITAR/UNOSAT, UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER, and Copernicus EMS
The International Charter: Space and Major Disasters is dedicated to supporting disaster response by acquiring satellite observations and providing value-added products that illustrate the impact of disasters. To achieve its purpose of contributing to international disaster management, the Charter values cooperation with external entities such as UNITAR/UNOSAT, UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER, and the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (Copernicus EMS).
Global disaster trends emphasize why such cooperation is essential. According to the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT), there were 393 natural disasters worldwide in 2024. The Charter compares its activity with EM-DAT figures to better understand coverage. While the Charter was activated for only 9.6% of total events, its support focused on the most severe crises: of the 50 deadliest disasters, the Charter responded to 17, accounting for over half of all reported fatalities.
Since 2007, the Charter has averaged 15 activations per year among EM-DAT’s top 50 disasters, underscoring that it is often engaged for the most critical, large-scale emergencies where satellite data can make the greatest difference. This pattern highlights the importance of the Charter’s partnerships, which extend its reach and ensure that satellite-derived products are delivered to those who need them most.
UNITAR/UNOSAT
Since its establishment in 2001, the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) specializes in delivering satellite imagery analysis and geospatial solutions to support humanitarian relief, human security, and sustainable development. UNOSAT provides rapid mapping services following major disasters and conflicts, supporting both the UN system and national authorities.
In 2024 for example, UNOSAT played a central role in supporting the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters. It triggered 22 Charter activations, accounting for about 26% of all activations worldwide, and provided Project Manager (PM) support for 25 activations. For each activation with applicable data available, UNOSAT consistently produces high-quality value-added products, which are delivered to end users through the Charter operational System. This significant contribution highlights UNOSAT’s critical role as both a user and facilitator of Charter resources.
Beyond activations, UNOSAT actively promotes awareness of the Charter’s work. Throughout 2024, it highlighted the Charter in high-level UN meetings and governmental fora, raising the profile of space-based disaster response among decision-makers. This advocacy ensures that the Charter’s value is recognized not only by operational responders but also by policy-level stakeholders.
Through this ongoing collaboration, UNOSAT helps bridge the technical capabilities of space agencies with the operational needs of humanitarian responders, ensuring that satellite-derived insights are translated into actionable information on the ground.
UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), through its UN-SPIDER programme, plays a central role in connecting countries with the International Charter and in supporting those countries to become direct Authorized Users (AU) under the Universal Access efforts. About 25 country authorities joined the International Charter already as AU’s with thanks to awareness-raising and direct support from UN-SPIDER.
UN-SPIDER’s mission is not only to provide access to space-based information for disaster management but also to ensure that countries build the capacity to make full use of these technologies and tools.
Since 2003, UNOOSA has been a cooperating body of the Charter, allowing it to trigger the Charter primarily on behalf of disaster management authorities in countries that are not yet Charter Authorized Users (AUs). Over 150 Charter activations were submitted by UNOOSA so far through this cooperation. Each activation serves a dual purpose: supporting immediate disaster response while also introducing national authorities to the Charter’s mechanisms. This has proven to be a successful pathway for encouraging more countries to apply for Authorized User status after emergencies.
In 2024, for example, UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER triggered the Charter on three occasions:
- Wildfire in Guatemala (February), on behalf of the National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction (CONRED)
- Flood in Uruguay (May), on behalf of the National Emergency System (SINAE) of the Presidency of Uruguay
- Flood in Morocco (September), on behalf of the Royal Centre for Spatial Teledetection (CRTS)
This United Nations Programme has since expanded into a key driver of growth in Charter participation. By September 2025, new AUs included Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Uzbekistan, Somalia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Namibia, Rwanda, Jamaica, and Zambia. This brings the total to 107 Authorised Users across 96 countries. This steady expansion underscores UN-SPIDER’s success in raising awareness and in facilitating broader access to the Charter worldwide.
A critical part of this process is the UN-SPIDER Technical Advisory Mission (TAM), conducted before a country applies for AU status. TAMs assess the technical and institutional capacity of national authorities, enabling UN-SPIDER to submit formal UN reports to Government with recommendations to improve the use of space technologies in disaster management, and to tailor capacity-building programmes to local needs. This ensures that when countries gain access to mechanisms such as the Charter, they are prepared to fully benefit from its services.
Capacity-building is also continuously advanced through Project Manager (PM) trainings. UNOOSA collaborates with partners to organize both virtual and in-person trainings, ensuring that a pool of trained experts is available globally and at local levels to support Charter activations. In September 2025, a regional in-person PM training was held in Pretoria, South Africa, hosted by SANSA and co-organized by UNOOSA, the University of Bonn, and ESA. This training exemplifies how Charter cooperation strengthens global expertise in using satellite data for disaster response.
Through these activities, UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER ensures that the Charter continues to grow as a truly global mechanism, accessible to all countries in need.
Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS)
The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS), operated by the European Union, provides mapping products based on satellite imagery for natural and man-made disasters worldwide. Since 2012, Copernicus EMS has supported hundreds of emergency activations, offering both rapid maps (produced within hours or days) and risk and recovery maps for longer-term assessments.
The Charter and Copernicus EMS have worked under a cooperation agreement signed in April 2018. This partnership ensures seamless coordination between Charter activations and Copernicus EMS mapping, reducing duplication and maximizing efficiency.
In 2024, for example, the Charter and CEMS cooperated during three joint activations:
- Oil Spill in the Philippines (July)
- Flood in Sudan (August)
- Tropical Cyclone Chido in Madagascar (December)
In addition, Copernicus EMS was granted access to Charter data for eight further disasters in 2024, including events such as the wildfire in Chile (February), the oil spill in Trinidad and Tobago (March), and floods in Brazil (April) and the United Kingdom (December).
Overall, CEMS Rapid Mapping Service was activated 89 times in 2024, compared to just three Charter activations over Europe. This demonstrates how effectively CEMS addresses demand within Europe while relying on Charter cooperation to supplement global events.
Through this partnership, the Charter leverages the operational strengths of Copernicus EMS while expanding its global reach, ensuring that European Civil Protection authorities and international relief agencies benefit from timely, high-resolution mapping.
Strengthening Collaboration
The Charter’s partnerships with UNITAR/UNOSAT, UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER, and Copernicus EMS represent an essential bridge between space technology and humanitarian response. While the Charter provides access to satellite resources from its members, these collaborating entities ensure that the data is translated into operational products and disseminated to the right stakeholders in a timely manner.
Both the Charter and its partners work toward their mutual purpose of serving humanity, through collaborative efforts in responding to disasters.