This year, World Space Week is held from October 4-10, and its theme focuses on the intersection of space and climate change. The Space Strategy of Latvia emphasizes the importance of addressing environmental changes, and innovative solutions can already be seen in Latvia, demonstrating how space technology can be successfully used to minimize the impacts of climate change.
Global climate change is undoubtedly one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, which is a top priority for the European Parliament and international organizations such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and the United Nations. Earth observation technologies and satellites are essential tools for monitoring and gaining a deeper understanding of climate change and its impacts. For nearly 10 years, Latvian research institutions, entrepreneurs, and organizations have collaborated with ESA to enhance their skills, and improve competencies in the application of space technologies, and deliver innovative satellite-based solutions to tackle climate change. More about Latvia’s achievements in the space sector can be found on the Latvia Space website.
There are several areas where this data is already actively used, and diverse process monitoring is one of Latvia’s strengths. One challenge that can be addressed with Earth observation satellites is the damage caused by the spruce bark beetle in Latvia. Both JSC ‘Latvia’s State Forests’ and ‘Baltic Satellite Service Ltd.,’ in addition to monitoring storm damage, wildfires, and floods, use satellite data from the Copernicus program’s Sentinel satellites to track bark beetle infestations. The use of space technology enables remote monitoring of tree vitality, which is essential for early detection of invasive pest infestations, allowing appropriate actions to be taken to minimize damage to the forest and limit its further spread. As part of the ESA-supported project “Feasibility study on future thermal and VNIR EO satellite mission for early detection of bark beetle attack” (BBWatch), the Institute for Environmental Solutions is testing available satellite data to provide timely information on early bark beetle attacks, using high-resolution hyperspectral and thermal airborne data to evaluate the potential of these sensors for future space missions.
Project lead researcher PhD Dainis Jakovels emphasizes: “In simple terms, we are trying to remotely measure the temperature of trees and other health-related parameters to identify potential “sick ones” in time and send a forest expert to them.”
There is significant untapped potential for Earth observation services, as integrating them into various sectors takes time. However, Latvia’s participation in ESA has provided an opportunity for implementing such innovative projects that address the climate crisis through satellite data. The status of an ESA associate member offers opportunities for industry growth and the potential to develop competitive export services in the future. Growing awareness of the space sector’s development, its technological capabilities in addressing climate change, and the need for training opportunities for future professionals is steadily increasing, driven by Latvia’s participation in ESA.
The development and implementation of space sector policies is one of the policy areas of the Ministry of Education and Science.
About World Space Week
This event brings together space enthusiasts, educators, and communities from around the world and is coordinated by the United Nations with the support of the World Space Week Association. Each year, World Space Week is dedicated to a specific theme, and this year’s theme focuses on the space sector’s connection to climate change. The dates remain the same each year to commemorate two historical events: the launch of Sputnik 1, the first human-made Earth satellite, which marked the beginning of space exploration (October 4, 1957), and the signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (COPUOS, October 10, 1967). In April of this year, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia approved Latvia’s accession to this treaty, and the application for participation in the UN committee was submitted in September.