Satellite data proves a supply chain is deforestation-free by comparing each mapped plot against the 31 December 2020 EUDR cut-off. Time-series imagery shows whether tree cover was cleared after that date; paired with GPS points or polygon boundaries, it converts a farmer’s word into dated, checkable evidence for your Due Diligence Statement.
Why does satellite data matter for EUDR at all?
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EU Regulation 2023/1115), in force since 29 June 2023, lets goods enter or leave the EU market only when three conditions are met together: the product is deforestation-free, it is legal under Indonesian law, and it is covered by a filed Due Diligence Statement (DDS) carrying a unique reference number. “Deforestation-free” has a hard, testable meaning — nothing produced on land cleared of forest after 31 December 2020.
That single date is why satellites matter. A paper certificate says a farm is legal; it cannot show what the land looked like years ago. Satellite imagery can. For Indonesia’s four practical EUDR commodities — coffee, cocoa, rubber, and wood or furniture — remote sensing is the only affordable way to check thousands of smallholder plots against a fixed historical baseline.
What can satellite evidence actually prove?
Treat satellite data as the answer to three questions an EU buyer’s compliance team will ask. Continuous EUDR satellite monitoring turns those answers into a record you can re-run whenever a buyer requests fresh proof.
| Buyer question | What satellite data shows | EUDR link |
|---|---|---|
| Was this plot forest after 2020? | Land cover on and after the 31 Dec 2020 baseline | Deforestation-free condition |
| Has anything changed since? | Time-series clearing alerts | Ongoing negligible-risk assessment |
| Where exactly is the plot? | Coordinates matched to imagery | Geolocation requirement |
None of these on its own closes a DDS, but together they convert claims into dated, spatial evidence an auditor can re-check.
How do you turn imagery into DDS-grade evidence?
The DDS requires plot-level geolocation: GPS point coordinates for plots under 4 hectares and polygon boundaries for anything larger. Satellite proof only holds if it is tied to those exact coordinates. A workable field-to-file sequence:
- Register each farmer plot and collect a GPS point (under 4 ha) or walk the polygon boundary (4 ha and above).
- Pull time-series imagery for each plot spanning the 31 December 2020 baseline to today.
- Flag any tree-cover loss after the cut-off; treat flagged plots as non-negligible risk until investigated.
- Record a negligible-risk assessment, plus mitigation measures where risk is not negligible.
- Archive imagery dates, coordinates, and analysis alongside legal certificates and land documents so the whole package supports your DDS.
Keep these records retrievable. A single DDS can, in practice, cover repeat shipments of the same verified supply base as long as the data stays current, so the imagery archive is worth maintaining rather than rebuilding each season.
Which satellite sources and checks are used?
No brand of satellite is mandated. The realistic toolkit mixes free and paid sources, because tropical cloud cover and tiny smallholder plots each defeat a single method.
| Source or method | Typical use | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Open optical imagery (e.g. Sentinel, Landsat) | Baseline and change over time | Free; cloud cover limits wet-season clarity |
| Radar imagery | Sees through cloud | Useful across Bali’s rainy months |
| Global forest-change datasets | Screening historical loss | A screening layer, not final proof |
| Commercial high-resolution imagery | Verifying small plots individually | Paid; sharper on tiny coffee or cocoa plots |
For Bali and wider Indonesia the operational shift is toward farmer-plot registries, GPS and polygon collection, satellite verification against the December 2020 baseline, and digitized chain-of-custody from farm to export lot.
What can satellite data not do on its own?
Satellites do not replace documents or judgement. They cannot confirm legality — that still rests on land-tenure and land-use-rights records, farmer contracts, and Indonesian legality schemes such as SVLK for timber and furniture or ISPO for palm; voluntary schemes like FSC and Rainforest Alliance can feed the due-diligence system, but none alone guarantees EUDR compliance. Imagery can also misread shade-grown coffee or young rubber as forest, or miss selective clearing under canopy.
EU buyers typically still want a supply-chain map showing partner farms, collection points, and processing sites, backed by field photos, independent surveys, and audit results. The European Commission’s practical guidance notes operators do not have to publish exact coordinates publicly — a regional map with sub-district (kecamatan) names and an area scale reassures compliance teams while protecting farmer privacy.
What is the deadline pressure behind this?
As announced and current as of 2026, large and medium operators must comply by 30 December 2026 and micro and small operators by 30 June 2027. Enforcement timing has shifted before — several Indonesian sources still cite 30 December 2025, with a 30 June 2026 transition for micro and small operators — so treat every date as subject to change. Non-compliance penalties can reach up to 4% of an operator’s EU-derived turnover, on top of rejected shipments and goods held at EU customs. The Indonesian government is preparing a national response strategy, and EU buyers are already requesting plot-level proof ahead of formal enforcement, so building the satellite evidence base now is the practical move.
This is general guidance, not legal advice; confirm current EUDR requirements with the European Commission at environment.ec.europa.eu, your EU importer, and a licensed customs or legal adviser before acting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can free satellite imagery alone satisfy an EUDR check?
Free imagery like Sentinel or Landsat is enough to screen most plots against the 31 December 2020 baseline, and no regulation names a specific satellite. But cloud cover and coarse resolution can obscure small tropical plots, so buyers often expect radar or high-resolution imagery to confirm flagged cases. Pair free data with documents, never in place of them.
How far back does the satellite baseline need to reach?
To the 31 December 2020 cut-off written into EU Regulation 2023/1115. Deforestation-free means no forest was cleared on that plot after that date, so your imagery time-series must reach back to late 2020 and run to the present. Earlier history is optional context; the fixed comparison point that decides compliance is 31 December 2020.
What if satellite imagery flags clearing on one plot in my supply base?
Treat that plot as non-negligible risk and keep its volume out of EUDR shipments until you investigate. Check whether the alert is real clearing or a false positive from shade trees, harvest, or cloud shadow. Document the finding, apply mitigation, and leave the plot out of your Due Diligence Statement until the risk is genuinely resolved.