Satellite data will be used to monitor and map heat in locations at greatest risk of climate change in one of two new projects being backed by the UK Space Agency.
The first project is a collaboration between the National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) and Ordnance Survey (OS), which will provide meaningful insights for policy-makers to manage the impacts of climate change in hot spots across the UK and beyond.
Using NCEO land surface temperature data derived from thermal infra-red sensors in space, OS will then help customers understand and identify how the data can be applied effectively.
The Agency is also supporting a prototype Climate Risk Index tool that delivers risk assessments based on satellite and climate data to help the insurance sector provide vital financial products to those at risk from droughts and wildfires.
Both schemes have been unveiled ahead of British ESA astronaut Tim Peake’s attendance at COP26, the United Nations climate change conference being hosted by the UK in Glasgow. Tim will be visiting the Space4Climate stand where he will answer questions from young people and talk about how space is helping to monitor and tackle climate change.
Beth Greenaway, Head of Earth Observation and Climate at the UK Space Agency, said:
“The UK is leading the way in using space to monitor, understand and tackle climate change.
“Both of these new projects will provide decision-makers with vital information to help deal with the effects of climate change and improve lives around the world.”
The latest UK climate projections show a hot summer like 2018 is likely to occur every other year by 2050, by which time the number of heat-related deaths could more than triple from today’s level in the absence of additional adaptation; from around 2,000 per year to around 7,000.
As many as 1.2 billion people around the world could face heat stress conditions by 2100 if current levels of global warming continue.
The Earth observation data used in the pilot will indicate extreme events and locations that may show greater risk to human health, such as cities where heat stress is a particular concern. By providing easier and better access to insightful evidence through the pilot and through working with the Office for National Statistics, the UK public sector will be able to tackle climate change more effectively with accurate geo data from space.
Donna Lyndsay, Innovation Lead, Ordnance Survey, said:
“By working collaboratively with the UK Space Agency and leading scientists, OS will use its mapping capabilities to identify areas at greatest risk from global warming using satellite data. The outcome will be to share the learnings from accessing the Earth observation data so that governments and businesses in the UK and globally, have the meaningful insights and evidence to support resilience and adaption plans in relation to the climate crisis.
“Geospatial data is already supporting how we respond to climate change and contributing towards achieving net-zero. This project demonstrates how collaboration can deliver innovative and actionable solutions to help tackle the climate crisis and ensure we meet our sustainability goals.”
Dr Darren Ghent, a National Centre for Earth Observation scientist at the University of Leicester, said:
“Satellite observations of land surface temperatures, and their change, are increasingly recognised as being able to provide unique and detailed knowledge to better facilitate the understanding of climate change and thus to inform planning and ‘climate-adaptive’ policies to deal with extreme events, such as heatwaves.”
The second project will see Telespazio UK, in collaboration with Assimila, developing a pilot of a Climate Risk Index tool, known as CRISP. Using climate data from an ensemble of climate project models, historical reanalysis and Earth Observation data the prototype will focus on two examples – agricultural drought and wildfires – to show insurance companies how to use the data in their own assessments to benefit the finance sector.
The government’s new National Space Strategy pledged to work closely with the financial sector, including identifying the risk of climate change impacts and the UK space sector is keen to lead the way in climate related risk disclosures that impact the financial sector.
Geoff Busswell, Head of Marketing and Sales at Telespazio UK, said:
“With the UK set to enforce mandatory reporting on climate-related financial disclosures from April 2022, we need to be prepared and able to deliver clear, reliable, and comprehensive information on the understanding of risk and impacts of climate.
“Telespazio in collaboration with Assimila are at the forefront of harnessing the power of Earth Observation data to improve reporting in the financial sector and subsequently enable better informed, climate aware decision-making.”
CRISP builds on work by the Space4Climate (S4C) Climate Risk Disclosure task group. The S4C work provides the underlying technical capability to determine climate indices – based on consistent identification of extreme climate events and changes in sea level derived from different long-term data records of Earth Observation and climate re-analy
Notes:
The project led by the National Centre for Earth Observation and Ordnance Survey has received £120,000 in UK Space Agency funding. The project led by Telespazio UK has received £25,000 in UK Space Agency funding.
As many as 1.2 billion people around the world could face heat stress conditions by 2100 if current levels of global warming continue, according to a study from Rutgers University in the US published last year.
The UK Climate Projections (UKCP) is a climate analysis tool that forms part of the Met Office Hadley Centre Climate Programme. The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) support the UKCP.
About Ordnance Survey
Established 230 years ago, Ordnance Survey is a Britain’s National Mapping service and experienced geospatial partner. They support more than 5,000 public sector organisations through their contract with Geospatial Commission, the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PGSA), and share location insights with governments around the world to help them make better-informed decisions.
About the National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO)
The National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) provides the UK with core expertise in Earth Observation science, data sets and merging techniques, and model evaluation to underpin Earth System research and the UK’s strategic contribution to the challenges of environmental science. With more than 100 scientists distributed across specific UK universities and research organisations, its internationally leading research delivers long-term, rigorous, climate and environmental change data sets from satellites in space, new observations of Earth system processes and leadership of major, international satellite missions. NCEO is a UKRI-NERC research centre.
About Telespazio
Telespazio, a Leonardo and Thales 67/33 joint venture, is one of the world’s leading operators in satellite services. Its activities range from the design and development of space systems to the management of launch services, from in-orbit satellite control to Earth observation, from integrated communications, satellite navigation and localisation services to scientific programmes. Telespazio plays a leading role in the reference markets harnessing technological experience acquired over the years. Since its establishment, the company has participated in major European space programmes such as Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus and COSMO-SkyMed. In 2020, Telespazio generated sales of EUR 540 million while employing 3,000 people in nine countries.
About the UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency leads the UK’s efforts to explore and benefit from space, with responsibility for all strategic decisions on the UK civil space programme. It ensures Government investments in space science and technology deliver significant value to the UK economy and people’s lives. As set out in the Industrial Strategy, the UK Space Agency works with industry to develop new technologies, infrastructure and services, and to ensure the UK thrives in the commercial space age.
The UK Space Agency:
- supports the work of the UK space sector at home and abroad, maximising its benefit to the UK’s growing economy
- Invests in science and exploration to increase our understanding of the universe and deliver practical benefits such as new technologies to life on Earth.
- inspires the next generation of UK scientists and engineers.
- Provides a safe and supportive regulatory environment for the launch and operation of UK spacecraft, launch operators and UK spaceports.
- Promotes global co-operation in space, through the UK’s membership of the European Space Agency and international partnerships.
The UK Space Agency is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
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