Showcasing the UK Earth observation community at the world’s most influential climate summit

The UK Government, as incoming COP President and co-hosts of COP26 with Italy, has chosen a selection of exhibitors and events  from around 4,000 initial proposals.

Space4Climate is a community of UK academic, government and industry organisations with expertise in Earth Observation climate data. It represents the whole supply chain of climate data from space – from designing and building satellite missions that will gather the most accurate climate data, to data analytics for decision-makers to underpin crucial and effective climate decisions. This data is also used by the international science community to improve our understanding of how Earth’s climate system works, and how it is changing in response to human activity. This includes the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the United Nations body for assessing the science relating to climate change.

Visitors to our ‘Space4Climate now and in the future’ exhibit in the Green Zone can experience interactive displays to discover how Earth Observation works and how we measure, monitor and model our climate from space. Come and explore for yourself using our exciting, interactive PufferSphere® globe:

• Climate Science – meet scientists using space to understand our world and how it is changing, the fundamental importance being to learn what is happening to our world, and to be able to manage the impacts.
• Climate Technology – quiz experts on the instrumentation and infrastructure to objectively monitor and measure Earth from space, enabling consistent and innovative data analytics, quality assurance and capacity-building.
• Climate Action – discover how we’re helping communities globally to use data from space, making it visible and meaningful through real-world, useful climate services for all.
• Satellite data – learn how it is converted into positive climate action from the UK’s  Earth Observation community, the UK Space Agency and European Space Agency and the difference UK space-enabled climate services and science – much of it in collaboration with international partners – is making to communities around the globe and to the UK economy.

Beth Greenaway, Head of Earth Observation and Climate at the UK Space Agency and Chair of Space4Climate, said: “The UK is leading the way in using space to monitor, understand and therefore tackle climate change. COP26 is a hugely significant event, bringing together heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to agree coordinated action to tackle climate change. We will be showcasing some of the vital work experts from the UK space sector are doing in the development of satellites, the analysis and exploitation of data and the implementation of climate services to tackle the biggest challenge facing our planet today.”

COP (which stands for Conference of the Parties) is convened by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) every two years, bringing governments from around the world together to take action to tackle climate change and to meet the climate action targets of the Paris Agreement. There are two areas – the Blue Zone where world leaders will negotiate joint targets and action to reduce carbon emissions to net zero, and the Green Zone which is open to all audiences including the public.

Contacts: For further information please email Briony Turner info@space4climate.com  or Sally Stevens s.stevens@reading.ac.uk or call 07740 674074.