The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
On 10 December 2009 ESA hosted a side event entitled 'Global Monitoring of our Climate: the Essential Climate Variables'. During the event, speakers from various agencies highlighted the role that Earth observation satellites play in providing systematic global climate observations.
The panel of speakers included (from left to right): Gilberto Camara, Director of the Brazilian Institute for Space Research (INPE) and CEOS Chair; Carolin Richter, Director of GCOS Secretariat; UK Met Office Head of Climate Research Vicky Pope; Olivier Arino, ESA’s Head of the Earth Observation Projects Section; Dr Stephen Briggs, ESA’s Head of Earth Observation Science, Applications and Future Technologies Department; and Jacqueline McGlade, Director of the European Environmental Agency.