The PCP WISE project hosted its second webinar as part of the 2nd PCP WISE Webstival, dedicated to technology foresight for climate-resilient water management, on 17 September 2026.
The webinar brought together experts and stakeholders from the European water, research, space and innovation ecosystems to explore emerging technologies, future trends and strategic developments relevant to Soil-Water-Vegetation (SWV) intelligence.
The session provided participants with forward-looking insights into the technologies and capabilities that could shape the future of climate-resilient water management, while also examining how foresight can support innovation, procurement and market deployment.
From foresight to innovation and market opportunities
As climate change increases pressure on water resources and ecosystems, public authorities need increasingly advanced tools to monitor, understand and manage interactions between soil, water and vegetation.
Technology foresight can play an important role in anticipating these future needs. By looking beyond currently available solutions, foresight activities can help identify emerging technological paradigms, evolving user requirements and potential market opportunities.
For PCP WISE, these insights are particularly relevant to the development and deployment of innovative solutions for SWV intelligence. The webinar therefore explored how foresight findings can be translated into practical implications for future procurement, solution development and market uptake.
The discussions also highlighted the importance of collaboration across the innovation ecosystem, bringing together public buyers, research organisations, space agencies, industry and water-sector stakeholders to help move promising technologies from research and pilots towards wider operational adoption.
Key topics discussed
The webinar addressed four key questions:
How will European policy shape future demand for SWV intelligence?
The session explored how European policy priorities, including the EU Water Resilience Strategy and climate adaptation objectives, may influence future innovation needs for water authorities and create new opportunities for technology providers.
How can technology foresight support future procurement?
Insights from JRC foresight activities and developments in the future Copernicus roadmap provided perspectives on how public buyers and suppliers can anticipate technological and operational requirements extending beyond the current PCP cycle.
How can Earth observation technologies move towards operational deployment?
The speakers discussed the potential of Copernicus and EUSPA capabilities for vegetation and water monitoring, as well as the opportunities and challenges involved in integrating Earth observation and space-based technologies into scalable, operational and procurable solutions.
What conditions are needed for market uptake?
The discussions examined the respective roles of public buyers, space agencies, research organisations, the Water4All Partnership and industry in supporting the transition from validated pilots towards operational deployment and wider uptake of SWV intelligence across European water authorities.
Key takeaways
The webinar highlighted the importance of taking a forward-looking approach to climate-resilient water management. Anticipating future technological developments and user needs can help both public buyers and technology providers better prepare for emerging challenges and opportunities.
Participants gained insights into:
- emerging technological trends relevant to SWV intelligence;
- European policy and research developments shaping future water-management needs;
- the evolution of Copernicus and space-based capabilities;
- the role of technology foresight in supporting innovation and public procurement;
- opportunities and challenges for bringing innovative Earth observation solutions to the market;
- the importance of collaboration between public buyers, researchers, space organisations and industry to support operational uptake.
By connecting foresight, procurement and innovation deployment, the webinar contributed to PCP WISE’s objective of strengthening the innovation ecosystem around climate-resilient water management and supporting the development of solutions capable of addressing the future needs of European water authorities.
Watch the webinar
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