Europe’s Copernicus Programme Completes 25 Years: SSB Interview Topic

Zaheer Hussain
June 26, 2023
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The European Commission, in collaboration with the European Space Agency and the Swedish National Space Agency, will host a special event in Stockholm on June 8th to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Copernicus Programme.

Why In The News?

The 25^th Anniversary Of The Copernicus Programme Is Being Celebrated At A Special Event In Stockholm On 8 June, Hosted By The European Commission, Under The Auspices Of The Swedish Presidency And In Partnership With The European Space Agency And The Swedish National Space Agency.

What Is Copernicus Programme?

Named After The Scientist And Observer Nicolaus Copernicus, It Is The Earth Observation Component Of The European Union Space Programme, Managed By The European Commission And Implemented In Partnership With The EU Member States.
The Programme Aims At Achieving A Global, Continuous, Autonomous, High Quality, Wide Range Earth Observation Capacity. Providing Accurate, Timely And Easily Accessible Information To, Among Other Things, Improve The Management Of The Environment, Understand And Mitigate The Effects Of Climate Change, And Ensure Civil Security.
Copernicus Builds Upon Three Components:
The Space Component: This Comprises Two Types Of Satellite Missions, ESA’s Five Families Of Dedicated Sentinel (Space Missions) And Missions From Other Space Agencies, Called Contributing Missions.
In-situ Measurements: Ground-based And Airborne Data-gathering Networks Providing Information On Oceans, Continental Surface And Atmosphere.
Services: Developed And Managed By Copernicus And Offered To Its Users And Public In General.

The Services Past 25 Years:

Over The Past 25 Years, The Copernicus Programme Has Emerged As A Beacon Of Scientific Excellence, Underpinning Real World Applications That Improve Our Understanding Of The Environment And Supporting Decision-making In A Wide Range Of Areas – From Health And Renewable Energy To Climate Change Adaptation.
This Is Largely Thanks To The Data Generated By Its Six Core Services: Atmosphere, Climate Change, Emergency, Land, Marine And Security.

Copernicus Timeline

Quality-Assured Data On Earth’s Changing Climate:

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Provides Authoritative Information About The Past And Present Climate In Europe And The Rest Of The World, In Addition To Forecasts For The Future.
Through Its Climate Data Store, Which Is Designed To Enable Users To Tailor Services To Their Specific Needs, C3S Provides Climate Data And Information On Climate Impacts On A Wide Range Of Sectors.
C3S Publishes Monthly Climate Bulletins With Up-to-date Information On Recent Climate Events, In Addition To Climate Indicators, Which Show The Long-term Evolution Of Key Variables Used To Assess The Global And Regional Trends Of A Changing Climate.
C3S Data Allow Scientists And Policymakers To Track Indicators Such As Temperature Changes, Sea Level Rise, And Melting Ice Caps. This Data Is Invaluable For Assessing The Impact Of Climate Change, Formulating Evidence-based Policies, And Developing Effective Mitigation And Adaptation Strategies.

Understanding The Earth’s Atmosphere:

Since It Was Declared Fully Operational On 1 July 2015, Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) Has Been Providing Consistent And Quality-assured Information Related To Air Pollution, Solar Radiation, Greenhouse Gases And Climate Forcing, In Europe And Around The World.
CAMS Uses Satellite And Ground-based Observations Combined With Forecast Models To Generate Data That Policymakers, Researchers, And The Public Can Use To Make Informed Decisions Regarding Air Pollution Mitigation And Public Health.
CAMS Offers A Comprehensive Range Of Services Aimed At Monitoring And Analyzing Earth’s Atmospheric Composition, Providing Valuable Information And Tools To Assess Air Quality, Track The Distribution Of Pollutants, And Analyse The Dynamics Of Greenhouse Gases.

Copernicus Emergency Service:

The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS), Implemented By The Joint Research Centre, Supports All Actors Involved In The Management Of Natural Or Man-made Disasters By Providing Geospatial Information To Inform Decision-Making.
CEMS Constantly Monitors Europe To Forecast, Analyse, And Provide Information For Resilience Strategies. In Predicted Events, The Service Immediately Notifies Users Of Its Findings And Offers To Provide Them With Maps, Time-series Or Other Relevant Information To Manage Disaster Risk.

Copernicus Land Monitoring Service:

The Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) Provides Geospatial Information On Land Cover And Its Changes, Land Use, Vegetation State, Water Cycle And Earth’s Surface Energy Variables To A Broad Range Of Users In Europe And Across The World.
The CLMS Consists Of Five Main Components: The Systematic Monitoring Of Biophysical Parameters, Land Cover And Land Use Mapping, Thematic Hot Spot Mapping, Imagery And Reference Data, And Ground Motion.

Copernicus Marine Service:

The Copernicus Marine Service Provides Free, Regular And Systematic Information On The State Of The Blue (Physical), White (Sea Ice) And Green (Biogeochemical) Ocean On A Global And Regional Scale.
This Data Supports The Development Of Effective Marine Policies, Promotes Sustainable Ocean Management, And Aids In The Conservation Of Marine Ecosystems.
It Is Designed To Serve EU Policies And International Legal Commitments Related To Ocean Governance, Cater For Societal Needs For Global Ocean Knowledge And Boost The Blue Economy Across All Maritime Sectors.

Copernicus Security Service:

The Copernicus Security Service Is Designed To Address The Security Challenges Faced By Europe. Its Primary Objective Is To Enhance Crisis Prevention, Preparedness, And Response Capabilities In Key Areas Crucial To European Union Policies.
Within The Realm Of Border Surveillance, The Service Strives To Reduce The Loss Of Life Among Illegal Immigrants At Sea While Bolstering The Internal Security Of The European Union.
Additionally, The Service Endeavours To Combat Cross-border Crime. In The Field Of Maritime Surveillance, The Overarching Objective Is To Support Europe’s Maritime Security Objectives And Related Activities In The Maritime Domain. This Encompasses Ensuring The Safety Of Navigation, Aiding Fisheries Control, Combating Marine Pollution, And Enforcing Laws At Sea.

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