- April 19, 2022
- Posted by: EARSC
- Category: EOcafe
Thursday 21st of April 2022
16:00-17:00 CEST
In April 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic started to heavily impact the life and work of millions of people, in Europe and beyond, and the future was very uncertain. As physical meetings were not possible anymore, EARSC decided to start the EOcafe as a means to gather the Earth Observation community and discuss topics of interest. In those two years, each Thursday, EOcafe gathered a large number of participants and covered many topics with 39 sessions, 72 guests and 5050 registrations!
In order to understand the effects of the pandemic on the sector, our first EOcafe session was dedicated to “Copernicus & EuroGEO in the time of Covid – What’s next?” We discussed the impact of Covid on the development of Copernicus and EuroGEO and envisaged how the industry could support the European Commission’s work.
In two years, the landscape has changed and the adoption of the 2021-2027 EU Space Programme in April 2021 secured an envelope of 5.42 billion euros for Copernicus. As climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world, the European Union (EU) has set as a priority the European Green Deal with a package of legislative measures to transform the European continent into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy by ensuring no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. The current geopolitical context may also put the focus on ensuring a strategic autonomy for the EU with a more resilient Copernicus. 2022 will surely be an important year for space actors in Europe, as the EU will consolidate actions and implement policies discussed in 2020 and 2021.
During the 14th European Space Conference in January 2022, Commissioner Breton acknowledged the success of Copernicus being the “best Earth Observation system in the world”. He also stressed the necessity to work on a “modernization strategy” for Copernicus to rethink how it can better answer evolving needs “towards more green, more digital and more reactive”. In the context of the European twin transition, it makes no doubt that the Earth Observation services industry will contribute to future needs and challenges and accompany the evolution of Copernicus.
For our 40th EOcafe and its two years anniversary, we have invited our very first EOcafe guest, Mr Mauro FACCHINI, Head of the Earth Observation Unit, European Commission, DG DEFIS to reflect on the milestones achieved in the past years and discuss the evolution of Copernicus in the two upcoming years with our host Geoff SAWYER, EARSC Strategic Advisor and former Secretary General.
Questions which could be addressed during this EOcafe include the following:
- Which milestones have been reached over the past two years?
- How has the Covid pandemic affected the development of Copernicus?
- What are the current priorities of the European Commission for the evolution of Copernicus?
- What are the main pillars for the “modernization strategy” of Copernicus?
- What will be the upcoming opportunities/challenges for the programme?
- How can the industry support the EC?
Registration: The webinar is open to ALL but priority will be given to EARSC members. Registration is free but compulsory. Please click on the following link to register.
Registration link
Please note this is a virtual event!
EOcafe is part of a series of EARSC meetings that offer timely, relevant, and practical information on a broad variety of topics related to the EO sector. Join us every two weeks to discuss and network while enjoying a cup of coffee with friends.
IMPORTANT NOTES!!!
- The use of a video camera is not mandatory but encouraged to facilitate better interaction among the attendees and the guest speaker(s).
- The EOcafe will stay open after 17:00 in case our guests want to continue the discussion.
- By registering for this event, you accept the terms and conditions (https://earsc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/EARSC_Events_GDPR.pdf).
If you have any questions, and/or you want to know more about the EOcafe, and/or you want to share an idea about a future EOcafe, please contact Natassa at natassa.antoniou@earsc.org
