Earth observation satellites and Remote Sensing play an important role in ensuring global sustainable development. This was one of the unanimous agreements to come out of the World Summit on Sustainable Development that took place in Johannesburg from the 26 August to the 04 September 2002. Despite the controversy that surrounded the summit there was no doubt that space technology is vital in providing necessary data on many of the environmental and social concerns behind the event.
Today's transmnission outlines and illustrates the passages in the Summit's final documents that deal with the use of space technology and services.
The programme comprises of an A-roll with split track and English commentary and is complemented by a B-Roll with clean international sound

SPACE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Earth observation satellites and Remote Sensing have an important role in ensuring global sustainable development. This was one of the unanimous agreements to come out of the World Summit on Sustainable Development that took place in Johannesburg from the 26 August to the 04 September 2002. Despite the controversy that surrounded the summit there was no doubt that space technology is vital in providing necessary data on many of the environmental and social concerns behind the event.
(Extract from MSG Launch speech by Jos? Achache - ESA Director of Earth Observation)
We do not pretend that we will solve all the problems about sustainable development from space, but what is sure is that there is no way to sustainable development without a complete understanding of the environment, without a capacity to monitor natural resources, to forecast the weather, but also to forecast natural disasters, like the floods which hurt Europe during the summer. What I am very convinced of is tha