Challenges to the Responsible Uptake of Earth Observation Data for Sustainable Finance from Stakeholders’ Perspectives

Earth observation data has significant potential to support sustainable finance. However, despite the interest and rapidly growing availability of earth observation data, uptake and integration is low within the sector. We explore the barriers experienced by the UK financial sector in using earth observation data for sustainable investment decision-making. We take a reflexive approach to explore the intersection of earth observation technology development, sustainable finance and responsible innovation with the intention of identifying opportunities to share understanding and increase responsible uptake within the sector. From our insights, we set out the stakeholders of earth observation data, their data needs and five challenges to the uptake of earth observation data for sustainable financial decision-making. We develop a baseline of needs across stakeholders and propose the inclusion of responsible innovation principles to support the development of earth observation applications for the sector.