Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology continues its cooperation with the French National Centre for Space Studies in the Space Climate Observatory Initiative
Presentation of the signed Charter of Participation in the Space Climate Observatory (SCO) Initiative
Prof. Acad. Chau Van Minh, President of VAST, delivered the welcoming remarks
Prof. Acad. Chau Van Minh, President of VAST, affirmed that the signing of the SCO Charter today marks an important continuation in Vietnam-France space science cooperation and demonstrates Vietnam’s commitment to actively contributing to global efforts to address climate change. He emphasized that the signing of the Charter is not only symbolic but also a strategic commitment by VAST to bring space science to directly serve sustainable development and improve people’s livelihoods. With experience from previous SCO projects, VAST looks forward to continuing collaboration with CNES, Airbus, and French partners, particularly in the integration of satellite data, simulation analysis, and support for forecasting and decision-making in disaster response, resource management, and food security.
Mr. Olivier Brochet, Ambassador of France to Vietnam, delivered a speech at the event
Ambassador Olivier Brochet stated that this is clear evidence of the close and effective cooperation in science and technology between Vietnam and France. He also expressed his confidence that, through continued participation in the SCO, Vietnam will further enhance its role within the global network. He affirmed that the French Embassy will continue to accompany and facilitate cooperation among research institutes, universities, and enterprises of the two countries.
Mrs. Claudie Haigneré - the first female astronaut of France - delivered remarks at the event
In her speech, Mrs. Claudie Haigneré expressed her deep emotion in witnessing the signing ceremony of VAST’s participation in the SCO - an initiative that CNES had initiated and consistently promoted. Drawing on her experience at CNES and later as the French Minister in charge of Research, she emphasized that the SCO provides the scientific community and nations with tools to observe our shared planet in a more detailed and scientific manner from space, thereby offering practical solutions to global climate challenges. Through VNSC’s reports on the VietSCO-Rice and Viet-ARRO projects, Mrs. Claudie Haigneré recognized the capability and commitment of VAST toward this global initiative.
At the meeting, both sides also reviewed the key areas of cooperation between VAST and French partners, including the aeronautical engineering training program jointly implemented by the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) and Airbus in accordance with European standards. VAST expressed its desire to continue close collaboration with CNES, Airbus, and French partners to expand cooperation within the next phase of SCO projects, particularly in strengthening satellite data integration, enhancing analytical and simulation capacities, and supporting decision-making in Vietnam in areas such as climate change, agriculture, forestry, and resource management.
The continued participation in the SCO Charter marks a new stage that reaffirms VAST’s active and proactive role in the global space science network, while demonstrating the strong interconnection between science, policy, and international cooperation for the goal of sustainable development.
| Originating from an initiative of global space agencies and launched by France in 2017 at the One Planet Summit, the Space Climate Observatory (SCO) aims to combine satellite data with socio-economic and in-situ data to develop practical tools that support policymakers and local communities in responding to the impacts of climate change at the local level. The SCO operates as a network connecting space agencies, public organizations, and scientists worldwide. It focuses on providing operational tools and services to help countries and territories adapt to challenges posed by climate change, such as floods, droughts, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events. At the same time, SCO promotes open and free access to satellite data and the tools developed within its projects, creating a global collaborative network. SCO projects cover a wide range of fields affected by climate change, including agriculture and food security (the VietSCO-Rice project implemented in Vietnam belongs to this category), water resource management, disaster risk management, and coastal monitoring. Vietnam officially became a member of the initiative after the President of VAST signed the “Joint Declaration of Interest in the Climate Observatory Project” on June 29, 2019. From 2020 to 2022, the Vietnam National Space Center under VAST participated in implementing a project within the SCO initiative - the VietSCO project. The project produced a set of 12 types of maps derived from satellite data related to rice cultivation activities in Vietnam, such as seasonal rice maps, flood extent maps, post-flood recovery maps, crop calendar maps, rice growth status maps, rice area change maps, and maps of climate change impacts on rice production. The project’s results were highly evaluated and transferred to end users, contributing to early warnings of drought and salinity intrusion, assessment of storm impacts, and support for rice production planning and food security assurance. |
Visit to Vietnam National Space Museum
Participation in the Talk Show “Intersections from Space: Journey, Creativity, and France–Vietnam Cooperation” at USTH. Photo: USTH
Translated by Phuong Ha
Link to Vietnamese version
