Scottish Space Companies and DEFRA Will Discuss Ways to Tackle Climate Change

Scottish space companies are determined to tackle climate change as many corporate and startup businesses join the fight to save our planet. Besides the annual COP26 and its flashy headlines, another week-long conference initiated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is taking place in early November. Several Scottish space companies as well as DEFRA explained the importance of the long-stalled conference.

Scottish Space Companies on Guard of the Environment

Many companies use space data obtained from satellites to monitor pollution levels and other criteria that could eventually help tackle climate change. Geotree is a Glasgow-based environmental monitoring company that supports nature-based carbon projects. According to Jon Pierre, company CEO, Geotree uses satellite data to help farmers pinpoint problematic areas and measure carbon emissions – including from rice paddies in India.

Another company that uses space data to tackle climate change is an independent consulting firm, CGI. According to its VP, Jaime Reed, the company’s latest focus is on using EOS satellites for monitoring the seagrass ecosystem. The end goal is to identify preservation areas and protect endangered species, such as seahorses.

BT is another example of companies trying to tackle climate change. During the conference, BT will be demonstrating new technology vital for measuring nitrogen oxide levels in urban environments. The tech can be used locally, by councils, and eventually, lead to cleaner cities.

DEFRA and its determination to tackle climate change

According to DEFRA’s head of sustainability, Mattie Yeta, over 300 tech companies will attend the upcoming conference. Its end goal is to reduce emissions worldwide, but the UK, particularly Scotland, is a good place to start. The event took months of planning, but finally, Scottish space companies will have a chance to demonstrate their cutting-edge technologies and voice their ideas on how to tackle climate change.