The UK Space Agency has itself won a global award for sustainable development: the GEO (Group on Earth Observations) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Award.

UK Space Agency wins sustainable development award for IPP

Specifically it has been recognised for its commitment to innovative use of Earth Observation data and other satellite technologies in the form of its International Partnership Programme (IPP).

This initiative, which invests £30 million each year in projects around the world, was established in 2016 and the UK agency says it is currently the largest undertaking of its kind.

In August of this year, for example, the UK Space Agency announced £3.4 million of new funding for 10 space-related projects as part of its IPP. This was to involve UK academics using space to tackle global development problems, from the spread of malaria to human trafficking and forced labour.

“We are immensely proud to receive this award, in acknowledgement of our focus on using satellite technology to benefit humankind, and the valuable partnerships formed with, and contributions of, our partners at home and overseas,” said Afriqnmun Lovejoy MBE, Head of Sustainable Development at the UK Space Agency. “It is also a timely achievement for the UK in the lead up to hosting COP26 and demonstrates the value of space technology in tackling the impacts of climate change”.

D-MOSS

“In addition to the Programme award, an IPP project called ‘D-MOSS’ (Dengue MOdel forecasting Satellite-based System), also picked up one of the prestigious GEO Awards today with their pioneering dengue fever forecasting system,” added Lovejoy.

“Led by HR Wallingford, D-MOSS uses Earth Observation datasets to look at rainfall, temperature, humidity, soil moisture, land use, population density, combining these with seasonal climate forecasts and a hydrological model to predict the likelihood of future dengue epidemics up to six months in advance. The system has been used in Vietnam since June 2019 and is now being made available to Sri Lanka and Malaysia.”

D-MOSS’s forecasts have helped Vietnamese public health authorities to save resources and reduce the number of dengue cases and mortality rate

“I am thrilled that our D-MOSS system has been recognised by the GEO SDG Awards,” said Dr Gina Tsarouchi, D-MOSS Project Manager. “It is a testament to the huge potential of the system for helping with dengue prevention and control, as well as the hard work and dedication of the entire D-MOSS team.”

Now in its second year, the annual GEO Excellence Awards were launched in 2019 by the GEO Programme Board.