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Europe’s top space official, Josef Aschbacher, has called on politicians not to abandon European leadership in the fight against climate change. Aschbacher, the director general of the European Space Agency (ESA), emphasized the urgency of the issue, highlighting the record-breaking heatwaves and wildfires as evidence of the rapidly progressing global warming.

Recent months have seen countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal grapple with extreme temperatures and vegetation fires. The World Meteorological Organization reported that July 2021 had the highest global average temperature ever recorded. Aschbacher expressed deep concern over these developments, stating that climate change remains the most significant threat to the planet and humanity in the coming decades.

Aschbacher, who previously oversaw ESA’s flagship Earth observation satellite activities, stressed the importance of taking immediate action to mitigate the effects of climate change. He emphasized that the cost of addressing the issue now would be far cheaper than dealing with the consequences in the future. He urged politicians to listen to the clear evidence, including satellite data, and take decisive measures to save the planet.

ESA’s Copernicus program, which aims to monitor the Earth’s environment, recently released an image of a wildfire in southern Portugal that devastated thousands of hectares of forest. However, the agency is facing financial challenges due to a funding gap of 721 million euros (7.84 million), primarily caused by the partial loss of UK contributions following Brexit.

Negotiations are currently underway between the UK and the European Commission regarding continued UK contributions to Copernicus. Aschbacher emphasized the need for a funding decision by June 2024 to ensure the uninterrupted development of the next set of Sentinel satellites. Failure to meet this deadline would have significant implications for Europe’s commitment to combating climate change and the critical climate parameters provided by the Sentinels.

In conclusion, Aschbacher urged politicians not to underestimate the alarming signs of climate change and to act now to save the planet. The continuation of European leadership in tackling climate issues is crucial to addressing the global climate crisis effectively.

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