The IEEC participates at the second edition of the European Regional Symposium by NEREUS

The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) and the Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (ICGC) have participated at the second edition of the European Regional Symposium by NEREUS (Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies), which has taken place on 28-29 September in Matera (Italy). Organised jointly by the NEREUS and the hosting region of Basilicata, this year’s edition has focused on the use of space data for tourism and agriculture. 

The IEEC and the ICGC attendance is framed in the NewSpace Strategy of Catalonia, promoted by the Generalitat de Catalunya with the collaboration of both institutions together with the i2Cat Foundation.

The IEEC delegation has included the director of the Area for the Promotion of the Space Sector of Catalonia (APEC) and member of the NEREUS Management Board, Josep Colomé, who moderated a round table about space applications and services for tourism.

Jordi Corbera, Head of the Catalan Earth Observation Centre at the ICGC has been part of the panel at the space applications and services for tourism round table with his talk ‘Earth Observation and climate impacts over economic activities as tourism: a Catalan perspective’, and moderated the round table ‘Introduction into the market of space data and to the space economy’.

The Catalan representation also included Laura Ruana Pavon, Head of the Integrated Control and Payments Service of the Generalitat’s Department of Climate Action, Food and the Rural Agenda, who has intervened in the round table about how to improve the use of space data in agricultural policies.

The event has offered plenty of round tables, presentations and high-level speeches by experts from the European Space Agency (ESA); the European Commission (EC); the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT); the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA); the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) and by different Italian and NEREUS institutional representatives.

As a part of the programme, attendees have been given the opportunity of visiting the Giuseppe Colombo Space Geodesy Centre to get to know the ASI’s main operations centre located in Matera and there has also been time for some networking at the Space Academy il Museo della Scienza di Matera (SPARKme).

The symposium aims to bring together the different layers of the regional space community and provide regions with a platform to share knowledge and develop robust partnerships and interregional cooperation.