(a) whether the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has entered into any agreement with French National Space Agency and other global space agencies to combat climate change;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the manner in which ISRO will be contributing to this global effort?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PG & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH):
(a) No Madam. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has not entered into any agreement so far with French National Space Agency (CNES) and other global space agencies to combat climate change.
(b) Does not arise.
(c) ISRO and CNES have jointly organized a meeting on April, 03, 2016 at New Delhi to highlight the importance of space inputs for climate change studies and to support government decisions taken during Committee of Parties (COP-21) meeting at Paris. Heads of space agencies and their representatives from India, France, USA, Japan, Mexico and Europe (ESA & EUMETSAT) have attended this event and approved the principles of a Declaration underlining the commitments made by the space sector to evolve space-based operational tools combining in-situ measurements and increased computing resources; develop new technologies to be flown in space or encourage their research community to contribute actively with new models. Cooperation to cross-calibrate instruments and cross-validate their measurements, in order to achieve an international, independent system for estimating the emissions of all world nations based on internationally accepted data, thus creating a level playing field and an independent basis for further reductions was also stressed at this meeting.
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