Organization:
Basilicata Region - Directorate General for Environment, Energy and Territorial Protection (Region) 

Brief description of the Organization:
The Basilicata Region – Directorate General for Environment, Energy and Territorial Protection is the regional administrative authority responsible for environmental protection, energy policies, sustainability, territorial planning, and the enhancement of Basilicata’s natural heritage.
The Directorate promotes and coordinates policies, programmes, and interventions aimed at ecological transition, biodiversity conservation, sustainable management of natural resources, climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as environmental and urban regeneration across the regional territory.
It is also involved in the programming and management of European, national, and regional funds, supporting innovative projects related to green infrastructure, circular economy, renewable energy, environmental education, and territorial governance, through institutional partnerships and participation in national and European networks.

Region:
Basilicata (Italy)

Description:
The Challenge aims to investigate the relationship between nighttime brightness and urbanisation dynamics through the integration of Earth Observation data, nighttime satellite imagery, and spatial analysis techniques, in line with the objectives promoted by the NEREUS network (Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies) to strengthen the use of space-based data in support of public policies and territorial planning.
The initiative is grounded in the growing need for public administrations to better understand the spatial expansion of urban uses, peri-urban dynamics, and land-use intensity, aspects that are often not fully detectable through conventional land-use datasets alone. In this context, satellite data and geospatial technologies represent innovative tools to support more effective, sustainable, and data-driven decision-making processes.
The proposed approach builds upon previous international research on the use of nighttime satellite imagery as a proxy for analysing urbanisation processes and territorial transformation. In particular, studies developed by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona on the evolution of European and Spanish urban systems demonstrated that nighttime luminosity can effectively support the identification of urban expansion patterns, dispersed settlements, peri-urban dynamics, and the functional intensity of territorial use. These studies highlighted how nighttime brightness analysis can provide a more comprehensive understanding of urbanisation processes than conventional land-use mapping alone.
Additional research in the field of hyperspectral analysis of the urban nightscape has further demonstrated the potential of advanced remote sensing technologies for assessing artificial light emissions, urban lighting patterns, energy consumption, and environmental impacts associated with urban growth.
The expected outcome is the development of a replicable analytical framework capable of supporting public authorities in monitoring urban growth dynamics, evaluating land-use efficiency, and improving sustainable territorial planning strategies, while also enhancing the practical application potential of space-based data promoted within the NEREUS framework.

Your Challenge in just one question:
How can nighttime satellite brightness data help public authorities better understand and manage urban growth, land-use intensity, and energy-related territorial dynamics in Basilicata’s cities? 

Topics: 

• Digital Transformation of PA
• Climate Adaptation & Resilience
• Energy
• Smart Cities & Urban Planning 

Expected role of Service Provider: 

• System Integration in the PA platforms 

Additional Input:
The Challenge is inspired by previous international research experiences on the use of nighttime satellite imagery and Earth Observation data for analysing urbanisation dynamics and territorial transformation processes, including studies developed by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona on European urban systems and urban night-time brightness analysis.

Research reference: 

1. Nel•lo O., López J., Martín J., Checa J. (2017), Energy and urban form. The growth of European cities on the basis of night-time brightness, Land Use Policy.

2. Research project: La luz de la ciudad. El proceso de urbanización en España a partir de las imágenes nocturnas de la Tierra (1992–2012), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.