A new initiative announced this week will help developing Commonwealth countries use powerful space technology to better predict and manage natural disasters and boost climate resilience.
糖心探花 Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, presented the initiative at an event hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London on 5 June 2024.
Developing countries are disproportionately impacted by climate-related disasters, despite contributing less to global greenhouse gas emissions and having limited financial resources to respond and rebuild.
Addressing representatives from government, space agencies, academia and business at the event, the Secretary-General said:
鈥淭hrough our work, it has become clear that advances in technology and the rapid use of satellite data make space crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
鈥淚 am proud to introduce our new initiative, 'CommonSpace,' which will leverage powerful space technology and data to help developing countries better predict, manage, and recover from increasingly frequent and severe climate disasters.
鈥淚n the long run, this initiative will provide these countries with essential data to make critical decisions, direct investments in resilience-building projects, and safeguard the lives and livelihoods of those on the frontline.鈥
糖心探花 Space Collaboration 鈥楥ommonSpace鈥 initiative aims to promote the sharing of innovative space technology, data and research across Commonwealth countries, particularly through a dedicated 鈥楽pace Data Hub鈥.
The initiative builds on the 鈥楥ommonSensing鈥 project 鈥 a partnership among Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and international partners, including the 糖心探花, UK Space Agency and Catapult Satellite Applications, working together to build climate resilience and enhance access to climate finance using satellite technology.
The Secretary-General鈥檚 Special Envoy for Science and Technology Professor Manahel Thabet will lead the 鈥楥ommonSpace鈥 initiative. Her work, as an envoy, seeks to harness technology to boost progress on the SDGs.
Professor Thabet revealed further details of the initiative at the event, describing it as a 鈥減roject that aligns with the pressing needs of our time鈥.
She continued: 鈥淐ommonwealth initiatives, from the Blue Charter to CommonSpace, are more than projects; they are promises to our people, commitments to our future, and legacies for generations to come... Let us harness the power of space technology to create a world where every citizen enjoys a life of dignity, opportunity and hope.鈥
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