UK (Commonwealth Union)_ A novel initiative unveiled this week aims to equip developing Commonwealth nations with sophisticated space technology to enhance their ability to forecast and manage natural calamities while fortifying their resilience to climate change. Presented by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, during an event hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London on June 5, 2024, this endeavor responds to the disproportionate impact climate-related disasters have on developing nations. Despite their comparatively lower contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions and constrained financial means for response and recovery efforts, these countries bear the brunt of such crises.
Also read: Commonwealth diplomats discuss digital diplomacy
Speaking to a gathering of government officials, representatives from space agencies, academia, and business, the Secretary-General underscored the indispensable role of space technology in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She introduced the initiative dubbed ‘CommonSpace,’ highlighting its intent to harness potent space technology and data to empower developing countries in their preparedness, response, and rehabilitation efforts in the face of increasingly frequent and severe climate-related disasters. She emphasized the initiative’s prospective contribution toward furnishing these nations with vital data to inform crucial decision-making, channel investments into resilience-building endeavors, and safeguard the lives and livelihoods of those most vulnerable to climate adversities.
Also read: Commonwealth Secretary-General honors D-day
The Secretary-General stated, “Through 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). I 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. In 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.”
The Commonwealth Space Collaboration’s ‘CommonSpace’ initiative seeks to facilitate the exchange of cutting-edge space technology, data, and research among Commonwealth nations, chiefly through the establishment of a dedicated ‘Space Data Hub.’ This initiative builds upon the groundwork laid by the ‘CommonSensing’ project, a collaboration involving Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and various international partners, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, the UK Space Agency, and Catapult Satellite Applications. Together, they endeavor to enhance climate resilience and foster better access to climate finance through satellite technology.
The mantle of leadership for the ‘CommonSpace’ initiative falls upon the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Science and Technology, Professor Manahel Thabet. Professor Thabet’s mandate as an envoy revolves around leveraging technology to expedite progress on the SDGs. At the event, she provided further insights into the initiative, characterizing it as a venture aligned with the exigencies of the contemporary era. In her remarks, Professor Thabet elucidated that Commonwealth initiatives, ranging from the Blue Charter to ‘CommonSpace,’ transcend mere projects; they epitomize commitments to present and future generations. She also rallied for the harnessing of space technology’s potential to forge a world where every individual can lead a life marked by dignity, opportunity, and hope.
