International space agencies to cooperate on climate change

Representatives of international space agencies have agreed to work together to combat the effects of climate change through science and technology, announced Mexico's Communications and Transport Ministry (SCT) on Sunday.

The agreement forms part of the accords reached at the Heads of Space Agencies Summit on Climate Change and Disaster Management, which took place on Sept. 17 and 18 in Mexico City, according to an SCT press release.

A "Mexico declaration" was signed by space agencies including NASA, the European Space Agency and United Kingdom Space Agency during the meeting organized by the International Academy of Astronautics.

The agreement will be presented as the global space community's stance at the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change which will take place in November and December in Paris, France.

The document's signatories agreed on the vital role that their satellites will play in understanding climate change.

Through the declaration, representatives look to spread the scientific fact that, out of the 50 Essential Climate Variables to combat climate change, defined by the Global Climate Observing System, only 26 can be measured and controlled from space.

"The satellites are unique tools that allow us to obtain the necessary data to develop climate models that will guarantee precise global monitoring. This will allow us to measure the sea level and global warming in the atmosphere. These are two of the serious consequences caused by climate change," highlighted the document.

In the future, satellite systems could also offer support with tsunami and earthquake alerts. 
 Xinhua - china.org.cn
21/9/15
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