Int'l satellite data sharing vital for climate efforts: European space experts

China

Int'l satellite data sharing vital for climate efforts: European space experts

2025-08-14 15:35 Last Updated At：08-15 00:37

Space experts have emphasized the critical importance of international satellite data cooperation in addressing global climate challenges, following the successful launch of Europe's next-generation polar-orbiting weather satellite early Wednesday.

The European Space Agency's (ESA) new meteorological satellite, carrying six advanced instruments, lifted off from French Guiana's Kourou Space Center and entered orbit successfully.

The cutting-edge spacecraft is expected to significantly enhance weather forecasting accuracy and atmospheric monitoring capabilities, particularly in tracking air quality events and volcanic ash dispersion.

After witnessing the landmark launch from ESA's European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands, ESA Earth Science Division head Thorsten Fehr underscored the necessity of global collaboration in earth observation during an interview with China Media Group (CMG).

"There is a collaboration program in ESA which is called 'Dragon', in which we are also collaborating with the Chinese scientists already since many years. So this is something which is ongoing for quite some time. As I was indicating before, Earth observation is a global endeavor and no nation and no agency alone can provide all of the information necessary to understand the Earth system, to understand the science. So we need to collaborate and that collaboration requires that we are going beyond our national, continental boundaries. It is really a global issue," he said.

Echoing this sentiment, ESA Meteorological Programmes Manager Graeme Mason highlighted the ongoing data exchange between China and Europe through World Meteorological Organization mechanisms.

"The challenges that we have first of all on the weather, also with climate change, they aren't restricted to any one country and we need to share the data to be able to understand it. These are global issues, we need to treat them globally and we need to share the data," Mason noted.

ROK ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison on arrest obstruction charges

The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s former impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday was sentenced to five years in prison on arrest obstruction charges.

The criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court in charge of Yoon's obstruction of justice case handed down the prison sentence to Yoon for abusing the presidential security service to hinder the anti-corruption agency from executing its arrest warrant in January 2025.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was once thwarted in its attempt to arrest Yoon as the presidential security service formed human shields and bus blockades to prevent investigators from entering the presidential residence.

The team of Cho Eun-suk, an independent counsel who led investigations into Yoon's insurrection and other charges, demanded a 10-year prison term for Yoon.

The court said Yoon privatized the presidential security service for personal safety and private interests by blocking the law enforcement agencies' lawful execution of an arrest warrant and attempting to destroy evidence, pointing out that despite the very bad nature of his crime, he consistently offered unconvincing excuses and showed no remorse.

The court stressed that severe punishment was necessary, considering the need to restore the rule of law damaged by Yoon's crime, but it noted that the fact that he was a first-time offender with no criminal record was considered a favorable factor.

The sentencing, which was broadcast live, was Yoon's first verdict coming from his botched martial law bid.

The first-instance sentencing for Yoon's insurrection charges was scheduled for Feb 19. The special counsel sought a death penalty for Yoon on the charges.

Yoon declared emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3 in 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.

The constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach Yoon in April 2025, officially removing him from office.

The ousted leader was indicted while in detention in January 2025 on charges of leading an insurrection, becoming the first sitting ROK president facing such prosecution.