Networking to Promote Application of Copernicus in Chile

The objective of this action is to catalyse the use of Copernicus data in tackling environmental issues in Chile by linking an existing collaborative network with the Chilean Copernicus Relay consortium, and supporting a process of locally driven workshops to identify proof of concept applications. This will result in enhanced knowledge of the utility of Copernicus data for tackling priority environmental issues in Chile and identification of pathways by which these could be advanced.

This action builds on a successful workshop in May 2018 in Punta Arenas which brought together academic and other institutions from Chile and UK and its regional overseas territories, as well as Uruguay and Argentina. This included from Chile the Universidad de Magallanes, the Universidad Santo Tomás, Universidad Catolica and Universidad de Chile. The workshop identified that Copernicus data were not yet used significantly by the institutions compared to Landsat and other sensors. It also established a real appetite to realise the benefits of Copernicus data in tackling national and sub-national environmental issues and research priorities, and to build on the experience of applying Copernicus data to equivalent issues in the UK. 

This action will link the network developed in 2018 with the national Chilean Relay consortium headed by Chile’s Copernicus Hub. The consortium formed followed the signature of a Chilean Copernicus Agreement. The action will make a contribution to catalysing environmentally focused use of Copernicus data within Chile through the network members.

Specifically, this action will:

• Deliver a plan of activities managed by JNCC through its Falklands office with support from its UK office. ‘Local’ project management will significantly reduce costs associated with the project
• The action will develop the existing network and link it with the Chilean Copernicus Relay expertise, delivering five 2-day themed workshops hosted by Chilean network members
• Each workshop will bring together a targeted audience of Copernicus data user specialist and a range of environmental practitioners (government, academic, business) from different thematic backgrounds. Together, participants will investigate one or more key environmental issues in Chile and identify candidate uses of Copernicus to tackle aspects of them
• The action will identify and bring relevant UK expertise, from both within and external to JNCC, in use of Copernicus data within each theme to participate in the workshops. This will aid in building on UK experience of utilising Copernicus data and provide the opportunity to explore new international collaborations to further knowledge exchange and learning
• The workshops focus will be locally driven and cover areas drawn from (but not limited to):
  • Agriculture/plant health
  • Disaster preparedness (Pacific coast and Andean slope vulnerabilities)
  • Climate change research: e.g. impacts of deglaciation
  • Natural resource sector management
  • Natural capital and ecosystem assessments – value mapping, benefit sharing across communities, and development of regional natural capital management plans.
  • Marine ecosystems: e.g. Harmful Algae Blooms
• The action will then encourage the development of ideas for the application of Copernicus data based on the networks and priorities established in the workshops. The action will help participants develop proof of concept project ideas and identify pathways by which these could be advanced.