PhilSA, the EU, ESA, GISTDA and BRIN collaborate through SCOPE DIGITAL to strengthen Earth observation cooperation in Southeast Asia
PhilSA, the EU, ESA, GISTDA and BRIN collaborate through SCOPE DIGITAL to strengthen Earth observation cooperation in Southeast Asia
Cebu, 17 November 2025 - Philippine, Thai, and Indonesian partners are joining forces with the European Union (EU) and the European Space Agency (ESA) through SCOPE DIGITAL, a new initiative to strengthen the use of Copernicus Earth observation data in Southeast Asia. The programme supports the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and builds on the CopPhil collaboration, which has expanded the practical use of Copernicus data in the Philippines.
SCOPE DIGITAL builds on the success of the Copernicus programme in the Philippines, home to Southeast Asia’s first Earth observation (EO) data centre, established in 2024.
Over the next three years, the programme will draw on both European and Southeast Asian expertise in space data, digital platforms, and capacity building. It will support joint pilot projects and demonstrations, training activities, and the development of digital infrastructures that promote data-driven policymaking and cross-border collaboration in the region.
The initiative will help develop EO-based solutions for disaster resilience, natural resource management, and sustainable development in Southeast Asia. Its first phase will be implemented in Indonesia and Thailand, with technical support from the Philippines, which hosts the regional Copernicus data centre.
SCOPE DIGITAL is implemented by the European Space Agency (ESA) in partnership with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).
As the regional anchor partner, PhilSA will provide technical leadership, data infrastructure, and operational best practices drawn from its national Copernicus experience. The Agency will also facilitate knowledge exchange, coordinate regional activities, and lead capacity-building efforts among ASEAN partners.
SCOPE DIGITAL will be officially launched today, 17 November 2025, at the 31st Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-31) in Cebu, Philippines. The event will bring together space agencies, government representatives, and development partners to explore how EO and digital innovation can advance sustainability and resilience across Southeast Asia.
About the Partners
The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that promotes peace, shared values, and prosperity. The EU supports sustainable development, climate resilience, and digital transformation with partner countries, fostering cooperation that delivers lasting benefits for people and the planet.
Global Gateway is the European Union’s strategy to build sustainable and trusted connections with partner countries. It mobilizes public and private investment, advances quality infrastructure and skills, and focuses on digital, climate and energy, transport, health, education, and research, guided by high environmental, social, and governance standards.
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) is the central government agency of the Philippines that plans, develops, and promotes the national space programme in line with the Philippine Space Policy. Created in August 2019 under Republic Act No. 11363 (‘The Philippine Space Act’), PhilSA is an attached agency of the Office of the President of the Philippines for purposes of policy and programme coordination and to ensure alignment in national policies and priorities.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the direction, coordination, and funding of the country’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) initiatives. Created to support national development, DOST formulates policies and programmes that advance scientific research, technological development, and innovation across multiple sectors.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space, dedicated to the peaceful exploration and use of space for the benefit of humankind. ESA develops satellite missions, supports international cooperation, and provides Earth observation data that aid global efforts in climate monitoring and sustainable development.
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) of Indonesia leads scientific and technological innovation across multiple sectors, integrating national research initiatives to advance sustainable development and regional cooperation.
As Thailand’s space agency, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) advancing the development of space infrastructure, manpower, technology, law and policy. Its core mandate is to deliver the entire value chain from space to the people, collaborating with all sectors around the world to achieve national and regional security, prosperity, and sustainability.
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