Climate-KIC and Copernicus explore relationship to accelerate use of EU satellite data for climate action
LONDON, 26 April 2016: Climate change and environmental challenges need data to be tackled effectively. Satellite data enables innovation for policy and law makers, universities, public authorities, business actors and citizens. Two European initiatives are now looking at how to get the best data to the right people faster, in an effort to step up the fight against climate change.
Understanding what data is available and how to use it is not trivial. To drive sustainable development, many stakeholders need to be brought together to unlock its potential. Critically, end users need to be informed of the potential of satellite data and information services to address their challenges and help leap-frog current technologies and ways of working.
Climate-KIC, the EU’s climate innovation engine provides a ready-made network of public and private organisations that are already taking action on climate change. Together with the European Union’s Earth observation programme Copernicus, Climate-KIC is establishing a collaborative programme to accelerate the use of Copernicus satellite data and information by entrepreneurs, universities, cities, regions and other stakeholders.
Agreement on pilot activities is being planned for this year, with initial focus on Climate-KIC’s education and outreach programmes, addressing demand and supply-side stakeholder needs for earth observation value-added data and information provided through the Sentinel satellites and Copernicus Services.
Ian Short, Climate-KIC’s CEO said: “This is an exciting development. We propose to work with Copernicus and their data throughout our entrepreneurial activities, especially in engaging cities within our community. We hope this is the start of a growing and more ambitious collaboration.”
The first results of the collaboration will be announced in November at the COP22 climate summit in Marrakech, Morocco.
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About Climate-KIC
Climate-KIC is the EU’s largest public private partnership addressing climate change through innovation to build a zero carbon economy.
We address climate change across four priority themes: urban areas, land use, production systems, climate metrics and finance. Education is at the heart of these themes to inspire and empower the next generation of climate leaders.
We run programmes for students, start-ups and innovators across Europe via centres in major cities, convening a community of the best people and organisations.
Our approach starts with improving the way people live in cities. Our focus on industry creates the products required for a better living environment, and we look to optimise land use to produce the food people need.
Climate-KIC is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
About Copernicus
Copernicus is a European system for monitoring the Earth.
Copernicus consists of a complex set of systems which collect data from multiple sources: earth observation satellites and in situ sensors such as ground stations, airborne and sea-borne sensors. It processes these data and provides users with reliable and up-to-date information through a set of services related to environmental and security issues.
The services address six thematic areas: land, marine, atmosphere, climate change, emergency management and security. They support a wide range of applications, including environment protection, management of urban areas, regional and local planning, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, health, transport, climate change, sustainable development, civil protection and tourism.
Media Contacts
Climate-KIC:
Angela Howarth, Head of Communications, Climate-KIC
angela.howarth@climate-kic.org / +44 (0) 7872 850 084
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