Need to expand use of space-based tech to mitigate climate change, disease outbreaks and disaster: study

“Often, people connect space to only space exploration and are less aware of how space technology can help address Earth-based issues. Once health and environmental experts share the key information needed to monitor, mitigate or even prevent crises, then the space sector can aim to provide the relevant data by incorporating the data collection into future space missions/satellites,” Dr Farhan Asrar, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, told The Indian Express in an email reply.

With Earth becoming a hotter place owing to climate change, information about land surface temperature, vegetation and precipitation could be crucial in tackling vector-borne diseases or outbreaks, including pandemics like Covid, the researchers said.

“Satellite data can be used to monitor temperatures, migratory patterns of disease vectors and other changes to model infectious diseases,” added Asrar, a medical practitioner specialising in public health and space medicine.

Asrar, along with co-author Helena Chapman, representing Nasa, has urged health professionals and environmentalists to adopt the concept of One Health — human-animal-environment.

Citing recent outbreaks of Ebola and Covid involving animal-to-human virus transmission, the duo underscored contributory environmental factors like deforestation, urbanisation and climate change that need monitoring using space-based tools.

Climate change, they said, is driving up global temperatures and increasing concerns about illnesses commonly seen in warmer countries. Moreover, the same risk is now extending to colder countries experiencing rising temperatures.