My Planet from Space exhibition draws special visitor

Over the last two months, visitors to the UN Headquarters General Assembly Building have had the opportunity to take a journey to some of the most beautiful and remote places on Earth through a display of fabulous images taken from space.

As well as being beautiful, these images also highlight some of the challenges posed by global change.

Moreover, showing the reality of melting glaciers, deforestation, desertification and urban sprawl, the exhibition highlights the importance of satellite technology in the management and protection of natural resources and the global environment.

Earth observation provides valuable and reliable imagery for mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change.

During his speech, Ban Ki-moon said, “The stunning images raise awareness and show how satellites can help to protect people and the planet.

“The UN will be working with our partners to make the most of space technology for sustainability. The UN Office of Outer Space Affairs and the European Space Agency are collaborating to find new applications to manage disasters, protect the environment, conserve natural resources and address climate change.”

The closing ceremony was also attended by ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Volker Liebig, who added, “The exhibition, which was also on display in Rome, Italy last year, is proving to be a wonderful way of showing the public the benefits of observing our planet from space while also demonstrating the capabilities of ESA’s Earth observation satellites.”