Towards a risk-informed land system approach in the age of artificial intelligence and analysis-ready satellite data

Despite the increasing availability of satellite imagery, its potential within the Land System Science (LSS) framework remains underexploited, especially in relation to identification and management of emerging risks. A key barrier lies in the technical complexity of raw Earth Observation (EO) data, limiting their accessibility for most end-users. While expert users invest considerable effort in data processing, many stakeholders lack both infrastructure and expertise to effectively integrate EO data into decision-making workflows. As data scarcity is no longer the primary constraint, the ability to routinely detect, anticipate, and respond to land-related risks can be significantly enhanced by the availability of analysis-ready EO products, prepared for immediate use by non-specialists, and by the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into usable EO workflows, which helps translate these data into timely and actionable knowledge. In this context, we present a brief survey of satellite-derived tools currently available to support risk-informed management and planning strategies within LSS. We explore ready-to-use EO products that enable early detection and assessment of land system vulnerabilities, highlighting also the growing role of AI in transforming these datasets into predictive, accessible, and decision-relevant information. Finally, we discuss expected future developments for sustainable risk governance in the global change era.