UK and Australia team up to use space technology to protect Pacific from climate change and natural disasters

The UK Space Agency is looking for project ideas, to be delivered through UK aid, that use the data collected by satellites to improve decision-making for disaster risk reduction, ocean monitoring, mangrove mapping, and maritime management.

This will also see Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, work with the UK Space Agency and invite UK organisations and other international partners to work with them to scope projects designed to deliver sustainable benefits to Small Island Developing States in the Pacific.

The work will build on those systems already underway to help prevent and plan for disasters that are a consequence of rising sea levels and climate change.

This follows a recent statement of intent between the UK Space Agency and Australian Space Agency to establish a ‘Space Bridge’ to increase strategic collaboration and lay the foundations for swift negotiations for space-related opportunities under any potential future trading arrangements.

“We were the first major country to sign our commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 into law, and next year the UK will be hosting the UN’s climate conference, COP26. Space has a crucial and expanding role as a green technology, providing vital data on earth observation and climate conditions, which helps to predict the impact of climate change,” said Science Minister Chris Skidmore.

The UK and Australia will improve access to services based on radar satellite data for countries in the Pacific region that need them most.

This is one part of a wider call for projects from the UK Space Agency’s International Partnership Programme (IPP), with up to £8 million in new funding available to support collaborations between UK space experts and developing countries and emerging markets, to boost sustainable development through satellite-enabled services.

IPP is already supporting projects in 44 countries across the world, which are tackling a wide range of challenges, including deforestation, food security and disaster resilience.

Original source: DFID
Published on 03 November 2019