Celebrating Space4Climate’s 10th anniversary
2024 marks Space4Climate’s 10th anniversary – a decade in which our membership organisation has broken down the barriers between academia, industry and policy to create a thriving satellite Earth Observation for climate action community.
The group was set up in 2014 in response to the UK Government’s call to bridge the gap between academia, industry and policy to break down barriers to non-space sectors. It was first known as the Climate Data from Space Stakeholders Group (CDSSG) with one part-time administrator and funding from the UK Space Agency. In those early days it was just a small but farsighted group of climate scientists and businesses, dedicated to driving UK expertise in monitoring the Earth and its changing climate from space – and most importantly – using that data for innovative services and products for effective climate action. These pioneers included the UK Space Agency, NERC’s Earth System Science Centre within the University of Reading, the University of Leicester, RAL Space and the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis.
In 2016 a Government press release announcing the new climate data computing zone – championed by the then CDSSG – stated: “…this effective collaboration has been central in demonstrating the UK’s capability in translating world-class science and research expertise into real world applications and services.” More recently ,we became known as Space4Climate and we have grown to 79 members with organisations drawn from Government agencies, national research organisations, funders, industry – from start-ups to multinational corporations – and NGOs.
Space4Climate Chair Beth Greenaway, Head of Earth Observation and Climate at the UK Space Agency (UKSA), said: “When I reflect on my experiences over the last 10 years and as Chair of Space4Climate, there is much to be proud of and many achievements to celebrate. We have a unique position in bridging gaps across the value chain which no-one had done before. We have been pivotal at influential discussions, many times being the only voice in the room talking about the value and potential of space data. We have helped organisations to think about how they can adapt to climate change.
“A really significant event was COP26 in Glasgow. This is where we really made our presence known. Space4Climate secured a public stand in partnership with ESA and took space into the COP process for the first time. This was a huge step for the space sector who had not had visibility at the event before. So many new connections were made including a human rights lawyer for a small island in the Pacific who now uses satellite earth observations to monitor the impacts of people displaced by climate change.
“I’m proud to have witnessed and been a part of these moments, and think it’s important to celebrate our 10 year milestones. But for me personally, the pride really comes from seeing how the use of the data can make a real difference to decision making on climate mitigation, adaption and resilience and I am seeing future potential of climate data from space and I look forward to seeing what amazing things can be achieved in the next 10 years.”
Krupa Nanda Kumar is Space4Climate’s Climate Services Development Manager. She said: “The Space4Climate programme over the last 10 years has played a significant role in supporting and responding to the rapidly growing satellite Earth Observation for climate sector in the UK. Its success lies in the spirit of our membership and the recognition that coordination and cooperation among all actors ensures effective climate action.
“Space4Climate has raised the profile of the thriving UK ecosystem through its range of capacity building, facilitation and innovation activities, ensuring benefits are felt across academia, research, industry and policy.
“We aim to continue to support the UK’s world-leading climate community to deliver trusted climate information from space, enabling it to be integrated as a standard for global economic and societal benefit.”