Facilitating Satellite-Based Monitoring of Volcanic Unrest and Eruptions Through Global Cooperation: The GVEWERS Initiative

The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group on Disasters (WGD) has coordinated multiple initiatives to enhance volcano disaster risk management through improved access to satellite data. Historically, access to high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical imagery—critical for monitoring volcanic activity—has been restricted by costs or limited research-focused allocations. To overcome these limitations, CEOS-WGD launched the Volcano Pilot Project (2014–2017), which demonstrated the feasibility of systematic, integrated volcano monitoring in Central and South America using space-based observations. Through coordinated contributions from multiple space agencies, regional observatories gained unprecedented access to SAR and high-resolution optical datasets, enabling more effective monitoring of active volcanoes.
Building on this success, the Volcano Demonstrator Project (2019–2023) expanded coverage to Southeast Asia and Africa, further confirming the benefits of collaborative satellite data sharing for volcano monitoring. In 2023, CEOS approved the Global Volcano Early Warning and Eruption Response from Space (GVEWERS) initiative—a permanent, sustainable framework uniting international space agencies, academic institutions, and volcano observatories. GVEWERS aims to ensure timely, free, and low-latency access to critical satellite datasets for forecasting, detecting, and tracking volcanic activity worldwide. This capability is essential for mitigating hazards and providing early warnings of potential eruption impacts, as illustrated by the role of satellite data in monitoring unrest at Fentale, Ethiopia (2024–2025), and in tracking volcanic products emplacement and redeposition at Fuego Volcano, Guatemala, since 2024.
The success of GVEWERS depends on strong engagement from the global volcanology community. We invite international participation to advance this collaborative effort, which represents a transformative step toward reducing volcanic risk through space-based Earth Observation and fulfilling the vision of the United Nations’ Early Warning 4 All program.