The Earth system consists of large ocean basins, a rather thin atmosphere and terrestrial surfaces of the most different biogeophysical nature. Remote sensing science is applied in the three compartments mentioned, to foster a better characterization of the Earth’s main matrices. The emerging field of biogeosciences spans the research fields between biology and the geosciences and fosters an increase in understanding the functions of terrestrial surfaces across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Studies in the biogeosciences enhance our understanding of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems as well as extreme environments. Inevitably the atmosphere is involved in these studies as a means to single out the Earth’s surface characteristics, but the atmosphere is also approached by remote sensors as research topic on its own, especially at the level of gaseous pollutants and aerosols. Therefore, a focus in this session is the interpretation of the remote sensing signal in the different matrices mentioned. Hence this session aims to bring together remote sensing scientists with applications in biogeoscience, atmosphere and oceanography to share information on the latest advances in remote sensing applications for the three matrices cited earlier. A focus point is on how far the three remote sensing communities have advanced in integrating their results with respect to the three compartments, in an effort to gain a better understanding of the magnitude of the feedbacks between atmosphere, oceans and land surfaces. Did remote sensing contribute to enhance our understanding of the interactions between the three important Earth matrices?