COP28: Dr. Meganne Christian

Space infrastructure is hugely important in our lives. Basically, the world would grind to a halt if we didn't have the telecommunications, the navigation services that we get from space infrastructure, from satellites - as well as the climate variables we monitor from space.

Dr Megan Christian, a Reserve Astronaught and Exploration Commercialisation Lead at the UK Space Agency, points out how dependent we are on satellites for so much of our daily lives, and the key role they play in monitoring how ecosystems and weather patterns are being affected by the climate crisis. There are now tens of thousands of objects in orbit above the earth, all of which pose a risk to satellites. Any collision would cause irreparable damage to this valuable and sensitive equipment. Space sustainability is a new topic on the climate agenda, and one which the UK and European Space Agencies are keen to promote so we can continue to benefit from the invaluable information space observation can provide.