Canada’s newly announced plan to invest 1 billion Canadian dollars ($739 million) over the next 15 years in the Radarsat mission is part of the federal government’s climate resilience strategy. The Radarsat satellite series has been a pivotal component of Canada’s climate change strategy and international disaster response. It holds an even greater significance at a time when the country is grappling with unprecedented extreme weather events, all symptomatic of a changing climate.
Canada’s escalating warming rate, at twice the global average and over three times faster in its northern regions, as flagged by the federal government in 2019, makes the urgency of climate action even more apparent. These changes are no longer mere forecasts; they are now glaring realities that affect different parts of the nation, calling for immediate attention. According to Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc., 2022 ranked as the third worst year for insured losses in the country’s history, while the total insured damages from severe weather events across the nation amounted to CA$ 3.1 billion in the past year.
In the face of this, Canada has adopted an aggressive climate strategy, reaffirming its commitment to lower emissions and combat climate change, introducing new programs, and fine-tuning its path to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Satellite-based Earth observation is clearly a crucial tool in the government’s efforts to generate solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The strategy for Earth observation, called Resourceful, Resilient, Ready: Canada’s Strategy for Satellite Earth Observation and unveiled in 2022, included an investment of CA$8 million in grants for 21 organizations across the country to advance innovative applications in Earth observation for sustainable development.
Now, the hefty investment towards the Radarsat+ initiative, as announced Oct. 18 by Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry…
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