Space technologies in the service of the fight against the climate crisis: the event of the Israel Space Agency at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology in the Israeli pavilion, the climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection
An event on harnessing space technologies in the service of the fight against the climate crisis took place today (Wednesday) at the Israeli pavilion at the COP 27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The event was held in the capacity of the Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Tom Dan; the special envoy for climate change and sustainability at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Bacher; Director General of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Galit Cohen; and the Director of the Israel Space Agency in the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uri Oron.
The panel focused on the opportunity for space technologies to contribute to Israel's and the world's efforts to deal with the climate crisis. At the event, Israeli start-up companies presented the projects that are currently progressing in the field, as well as key factors in the field: Prof. Eil Ben Dor, Tel Aviv University; Adina Fenton, windward; Alex Silberklang, Terra Space Lab; Georgina Campbell Platter, TomorrowNOW.org.
The Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Tom Dan: "The view from space to the Earth gives us opportunities we did not think of to reduce and prevent damage from the climate crisis, as well as new and important tools for dealing with the consequences of the crisis. Our investments - the latest in a government decision totaling NIS 3 billion in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Energy - will yield groundbreaking applied research and new high-tech companies that will change the face of high-tech in Israel and the face of the fight against climate change."
The CEO of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Galit Cohen: "Dealing with the climate crisis requires us to strengthen our data collection and analysis capabilities. Space technologies provide us with an opportunity to improve the observation of changes in space: temperatures, hot islands, sea level, fires, floods and more. Israel needs high capabilities, which will allow us to better understand the threat scenarios and prepare for them. The Ministry of Environmental Protection is working these days to build a national risk map that will know how to collect all layers of information, from space, from the air, from the water and from the ground in order to create sensitive maps that will allow us to understand where action is required with the greatest urgency."
Gideon Bacher, the special envoy for climate and sustainability issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Space and satellites play a key role in the fight against the global climate crisis. The Israeli Space Agency plays a key role in this, and has the power to make a very significant and high-quality contribution, both in preparing the State of Israel for the upcoming climate crisis, both at the regional level for the benefit of building regional climate resilience, and at the global level. We as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be happy to cooperate and work together with the excellent team of the Israel Space Agency in the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology to bring the great and groundbreaking solutions to the whole world."
