Colombia and NASA cooperate to address environmental challenges

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson met at the Presidential Palace, Casa de Nariño, to work together within the framework of the Artemis Agreement and tackle environmental challenges in Colombia.

The two sides discussed collaboration as part of Colombia’s global development in space sciences.

Minister of Science, Research, and Innovation, Yesenia Olaya, emphasized that aerospace monitoring would be essential to contribute to the country’s national challenges outlined in its National Development Plan for 2023.

The meeting’s key actions fall under the Artemis Agreement, an international treaty Colombia joined in May 2022, guiding space exploration cooperation among nations.

Three specific initiatives were highlighted:

• Cooperation between Colombian and NASA scientists: This cooperation focuses on solving environmental challenges in Colombia, such as early deforestation warnings in areas like the Amazon.
• Implementation of NASA’s Globe Program: This program aims to develop scientific skills among young people, children, and adolescents in educational institutions across Colombia.
• Promoting Scientific Participation in Space Technologies: This initiative aims to develop space technologies to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

These efforts align with NASA’s ongoing activities in Latin American countries, helping regional scientists and officials track real-time environmental changes, evaluate climate threats, and respond to natural disasters.

This collaboration builds on a broader effort to strengthen scientific ties and address urgent environmental challenges in the region.