Will dramatic change eliminate the politicization of monitoring missions?

Details

By Matt Ball | 09 July 2012 | 1238

The Deep Space Climate Observatory, championed by Al Gore and eliminated by George Bush, is back on the drawing board with a possible launch in 2014. This deep-space look at the planet was meant to provide an ongoing “Blue Marble” view that would capture details at the full planet scale, something that near-Earth satellites aren’t able to accomplish. While the rebirth, is in part due to a re-purpose for solar activity monitoring, it’s but one example of the politicization of science missions that are meant to monitor and measure the changes around us.

In this current calamity of major wildfires in populated areas, and of multi-state windstorms that have cut off power to millions for a span of days during sweltering heat, it seems that there’s a new mood to mitigate. The essential first step in helping to stop such impacts is better monitoring, better planning, and more informed action. The idea that there is any political motive behind science that will help to reduce impacts is increasingly absurd. The move to mitigate means reduced risk to personal property and reduced personal expenses, as well as a minimum of disruptions to the overall economy. These are goals that should appeal widely to non-partisan fiscal responsibility.

Mega Storms
The multi-state "derecho" windstorm that hit the United States last week, with its band of violent thunderstorms with winds up to 90 miles per hour, cut a swath 700 miles long. While this type of storm certainly isn’t new, the scrutiny on the wide-ranging aftermath to people and property has grabbed headlines.

In today’s modern world, where constant electricity and Internet connectivity are expected, most can’t understand why they would ever need to be without power for one day, let alone multiple days. The outage came at a time of high heat as well, which further magnified the event with millions suffering greatly without air conditioning. Utilities without plans, and adequate staff for this type of storm, highlight the vulnerability of our networks, and their lack of resilience. This awareness and outrage of this vulnerability will hopefully prompt investigation and action, which requires mapping and measuring in order to assess and improve our response..

Rampant Fires
The fires in Colorado during the abnormally dry season have caused widespread concern, particularly with the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs that consumed more than 350 homes and caused the evacuation of more than 30,000 residents. This close-in fire moved with great heat and speed, due to extreme dry conditions and high winds, leaving those in its path helpless.

John Hickenlooper, the governor of Colorado, has started an investigation into planning strategies and monitoring services that might avoid such devastation in the future. Among his key areas of interest are a lightning monitoring capability that allows us to see where strikes have occurred, and to get resources to those spots quickly to eliminate their propensity to smolder and propagate into fires when wind kicks up. This state-wide sensing system is a practical means to monitor in order to mitigate, that requires both satellite-based operations and systems on the ground to quickly direct action to areas of concern.

Australia’s Example
Both of these events, and other ongoing events related to changing weather patterns, speak to the need to accept and embrace the need to adapt. Australia is a country that has been considerably hard hit by drastic climate events since the turn of the 21st century, with prolonged drought, major bush fires and record floods. With these ongoing impacts, there has been more action there to mitigate incidents, and to embrace the need for a global response.

There’s a growing awareness that sustained climate change could have drastic effects on the ecosystems of Australia as well, with impacts to the Great Barrier Reef due to rising water levels as well as to inland areas due to harsher climate and longer droughts. In response, climate change mitigation is increasingly a non-partisan issue in Australia with ongoing legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to mitigate against climate change effects.

Regardless of the cause of fires, floods, and storms, it can be widely accepted that we can do more to forecast and respond their impacts. The technology and software tools are available to make dramatic improvements to how we sense, model, simulate, and prepare for such impacts. We need to get past partisan barriers toward a ubiquitous and widespread monitoring of our planet, so that we can better prepare for inevitable changes that will come. After all, these dramatic changes aren’t new, but their impacts are increasing due to our growing numbers and the picturesque places where we choose to live.

Resources

• Once-derided climate-change satellite to be launched with a new purpose, Orlando Sentinel, July 6, 2012
• After Recent US Storms, Why Are Millions Still Without Power?, Slashdot, Tues., July 3, 2012 
• Waldo Canyon Fire: Battle Above the Flames Drives Questions, Colorado Springs Gazette, July 8, 2012

About Matt Ball

Matt Ball

Matt has been promoting the application of sensors, systems, models and simulation for the better stewardship of our planet for the past fifteen years. The first ten years of that span were as editor of GeoWorld magazine and show manager of the GeoTec Event. The past five have been as a founder of Vector1 Media, with publications Sensors & Systems, Informed Infrastructure and Asia Surveying & Mapping. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.