Local authorities face the challenge of integrating climate adaptation measures into urban development concepts, but to do so they need regular, city-wide data. Until now, high-resolution monitoring has often been lacking, and evaluations are usually based on aerial photographs that are often only taken every two or three years. Satellite data, which provides climate-related information regularly and free of charge, is hardly used. Satellite data makes it possible to provide information on climate adaptation-related parameters at regular intervals free of charge. However, this opportunity is currently hardly used in municipal work. The Copernicus Network Office Municipal supports German cities and municipalities in the use of Earth observation data. It is funded by the German Space Agency at DLR, financed by the BMV, and has the task of investigating the contribution that remote sensing, and in particular the data and services of the Copernicus programme, can make to supporting the municipal level (cities, districts, municipalities) in fulfilling their daily tasks. The presentation will showcase the experiences gained from the network's work and highlight best practices that demonstrate how Earth observation data can already be used efficiently and effectively for climate adaptation and other municipal challenges.

Facing increasing impacts of climate change such as heat waves and extreme rainfall events, cities need to strengthen their climatic resilience. The sponge city concept utilizes blue-green infrastructures to mitigate urban heat island effects and flood risks, by extending networks of green spaces (e.g. green roofs and parks) and by restoring natural hydrological cycles. Identifying climate change related risks, targeting tailored adaptation measures, and monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of implemented measures require data-driven approaches to inform planning and decision-making. Earth Observation (EO) imagery can contribute to a robust monitoring of climate change impacts and adaption measures across multiple spatial scales. Though, the added value of EO for practitioners and decision makers (e.g. public authorities) emanates from EO-based data products often derived from multi-(data) source and model-based approaches. This presentation introduces the sponge city concept, including key elements and provides examples of available EO-based data products from the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS), relevant for targeting and monitoring related interventions. Further, an EO-based modelling approach is outlined that seeks to enable spaceborne monitoring of greened rooftop area in Germany, by using high-resolution satellite imagery. This approach is currently being developed as part of a research project aiming at supporting the national climate change monitoring program in Germany (DAS-Monitoring), coordinated by the German Environment Agency (UBA).