This chapter explores urban nature-based solutions (NBSs) as an essential strategy for creating circular and liveable cities. NBSs leverage natural processes and ecosystems to address various urban challenges, including climate change adaptation, biodiversity loss, water management, and urban resilience. The chapter highlights how NBS can transform cities into more sustainable, resource-efficient environments while offering social, economic, and environmental benefits. Key urban NBSs discussed include green roofs, green walls, community gardens, permeable pavements, bioswales, urban forests, and constructed wetlands. These solutions not only contribute to mitigating the effects of urbanisation but also improve air and water quality, reduce the urban heat island effect, and enhance biodiversity. By integrating nature into urban planning, cities can become more resilient to extreme weather events and better equipped to manage natural resources sustainably. The chapter further emphasises the importance of policy frameworks and financial incentives to encourage the widespread adoption of NBS. Case studies from global cities illustrate the successful implementation of NBS and their positive impact on urban liveability. Ultimately, NBSs are a powerful tool in the circular economy framework, fostering healthier, greener, and more liveable cities that support both people and the planet.

In this Chapter, we will explore how reservoirs can be monitored from space for water management. Today it is now possible to track the dynamic state of reservoirs at temporal and spatial scales of satellite remote sensing. This dynamic state comprises inflow, outflow, surface area, storage change and evaporative losses. Most of these variables can be modeled using satellite data or directly estimated using satellite data. This chapter will introduce readers to the Reservoir Assessment Tool (RAT) that we have developed as an open-source complete package for users to use the full power of satellite remote sensing to track reservoirs anywhere.

This chapter highlights the pivotal role of education in shaping liveable cities with functioning circular economies. It emphasises that education is the foundation for developing societal values and practices that support sustainability and circular economy principles. The chapter argues that instilling knowledge of the circular economy, sustainability, and environmental stewardship from a young age is essential for creating resilient and resource-efficient cities of the future. The chapter delves into how interdisciplinary learning, project-based education, and partnerships between schools, governments, and organisations can promote awareness of circular economy practices. It explores the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UNESCO’s ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ framework as guiding principles for integrating sustainability into educational systems worldwide. Topics such as waste reduction, resource conservation, and environmental justice are discussed as critical components of school curricula. Through case studies from Finland, Italy, and other global examples, the chapter demonstrates how innovative educational initiatives can equip young people with the skills needed to foster sustainable urban living. It concludes by advocating for a more participatory and practical approach to education, where students are empowered to apply circular economy concepts in their daily lives and become future leaders in sustainability.

This chapter will explore the topic of citizen science in the context of water management using satellite remote sensing. This is a broad field and the goal here is to expose readers to a social yet important issue of using citizens to carry out science for building more robust management solutions. As mentioned earlier in Chapter 11, this chapter is in no way comprehensive. The objective here is to encourage readers to start thinking about the idea of citizen science and the positive role it can play in building more equitable satellite-based water management solutions

This chapter explores the transition from the traditional linear economy, defined by the ‘take–make–dispose’ model, to a circular economy, with a focus on its application in creating liveable cities. With global material consumption and urbanisation increasing, cities are facing significant challenges, including resource scarcity, environmental degradation, and growing emissions. The circular economy offers a sustainable solution by promoting resource efficiency through recycling, reusing, and regenerating materials. This approach aims to decouple economic growth from resource consumption, enhancing urban resilience and sustainability. The chapter also highlights the role of circular economy practices in improving liveability within cities. By integrating circular principles into areas such as transportation, energy systems, water management, and the built environment, cities can reduce congestion, air pollution, and waste while promoting healthier urban living environments. The 5R framework – reduce, reuse, recycle, restore, and recover – is introduced as a core strategy for embedding circularity into city functions. Additionally, the chapter identifies key enablers, such as government policies, digital technology, and public engagement, that support the circular transition. Through these measures, cities can become sustainable, resilient hubs of innovation and prosperity, balancing economic growth with environmental protection and improving the quality of life for their residents.

This chapter explores the role of a sustainable built environment in fostering circular economy principles within liveable cities. It highlights the importance of integrating sustainability into the urban infrastructure to create resilient, resource-efficient, and adaptable urban environments. With cities contributing significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, there is a growing need to transition towards more circular models that prioritise reducing waste, reusing materials, and regenerating natural systems. The chapter discusses the key components of a sustainable built environment, such as energy-efficient construction, green architecture, and eco-friendly urban design. It emphasises how adopting circular economy principles in the built environment can help mitigate the environmental impact of cities by promoting resource conservation, reducing waste, and enhancing urban resilience. Furthermore, the chapter introduces regulatory, financial, and informational mechanisms that can support this transition, including emission-based taxes, pollution charges, and eco-certification programmes. By fostering innovation and collaboration between public and private sectors, cities can implement sustainable practices that balance economic growth with environmental stewardship. The chapter concludes by highlighting the importance of community engagement and public policy in shaping a sustainable built environment that contributes to the overall goal of creating liveable, circular cities.

In this chapter and the next, we will be switching gears to transition to less-technical but more social and governance related issues where satellite remote sensing of water can play a positive role. So far, we have learned up to chapter 10 are technical aspects of satellite remote sensing of water and their applications in water management. In this chapter, we will explore the potential of satellite remote sensing for social justice in water management.

This chapter examines the critical role of renewable energy and energy efficiency in circular economy liveable cities. As cities account for the majority of global energy use, transitioning to renewable energy and improving energy efficiency are essential for achieving climate goals and sustainable urban development. The chapter emphasises how circular economy principles can enhance energy systems by promoting the use of renewable energy, reducing resource consumption, and minimising waste. Areas of focus include the integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and waste-to-energy systems, into urban infrastructure. The chapter discusses innovative technologies like smart grids, energy storage solutions, and shared mobility systems that can optimise energy use and reduce environmental impacts. It explores energy-efficient practices in the built environment, such as green building design, retrofitting, and modular construction, which help minimise cities’ energy footprint. The chapter highlights case studies from European cities that have successfully implemented circular energy systems, demonstrating the effectiveness of combining renewable energy with circular economy practices. It concludes by addressing the challenges and opportunities for cities to foster sustainable energy transitions, emphasising the importance of policy support, public–private partnerships, and community engagement in achieving long-term energy efficiency and renewable energy goals.

In the previous chapter we covered how satellite remote sensing can be used to detect water on the surface in terms of its spatial extent, elevation and change in storage. In this chapter, we will cover how discharge can be estimated using satellite-based observables, such as those from the newly launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission mentioned in Chapter 6.

This chapter examines the intersection of environmental justice, circular economies, and green living, examining how these frameworks can address the disproportionate environmental burdens on marginalised communities. Environmental justice is defined as the fair treatment and involvement of all people, regardless of race, income, or nationality, in environmental protection policies. Historically, low-income and minority populations have faced higher exposure to environmental hazards, such as pollution and waste, contributing to health inequalities. The chapter explores how transitioning to a circular economy, which emphasises reducing waste, reusing resources, and recycling, can provide solutions to these injustices. By adopting circular economy practices, cities can foster environmental sustainability and social equity, helping to alleviate the disproportionate environmental burdens faced by disadvantaged communities. The chapter highlights two case studies: Amsterdam’s adoption of the Doughnut Model to drive its circular economy goals, and Glasgow’s efforts to transition to a carbon-neutral, circular economy. These illustrate how cities can integrate circular economy principles to reduce waste, improve resource management, and enhance public health outcomes while simultaneously promoting environmental justice. Ultimately, the chapter argues that environmental justice can be achieved through a circular economy, improving both the environment and the quality of life for all communities, especially the most vulnerable.

In this chapter will focus on surface water – notably the water that is in lakes and reservoirs, rather than rivers and groundwater. This is the water that remains directly on land and represents a significant reservoir for the water cycle. The storage of such water drives many water management applications, as we shall see later, such as reservoir and flood management (chapter 8), irrigation (chapter 9). Here, we will overview the various remote sensing techniques that can be used to detect if a land is covered with water and if so, what is the extent. Later in the chapter we will learn how two successive satellite overpasses can help us estimate storage change a water body may have experience. This storage change can be a crucial component for various water management applications as it helps us understand how much water lakes or reservoirs are storing, losing (to diversion or evaporation) or releasing.

Chapter 11 highlights the need for ground control, such as GNSS survey points, to bring InSAR deformation measurements into a geodetic reference frame. It also explains the theory for projecting vector GNSS displacement into scalar line-of-sight (LOS) InSAR displacement and the computation of strain rate from InSAR.

In the previous chapters, we built the basic foundation of satellite remote sensing. In this chapter we will explore a relatively recent innovation in information technology called cloud computing that has dramatically improved data accessibility and the practicality of applying large satellite remote sensing datasets for water management. Future chapters on specific targets and water management themes will have hands-on examples and assignments based on actual satellite data. Most of these chapters will assume prior knowledge of cloud computing for understanding and completing assignments. Since cloud computing is gradually proliferating in all walks of water management practice, the aim of this chapter is to introduce readers to cloud computing concepts and specific tools currently available for dealing with the very large satellite data sets on water.