Scottish energy secretary Neil Gray hopes space technology will boost efforts against flooding

Energy secretary Neil Gray has said innovative space technology could be used to well tackle the increasing threat of flooding caused by climate change.

Gray was visiting Glasgow-based D-CAT which uses and analyses satellite imagery to tackle climate change, supporting sectors such as farming through predicting crop yield and detecting deforestation. 

Speaking to Holyrood, Gray said: “D-CAT is using the technology, using the imagery, the information that's out there from the space sector to apply new thinking to how we can respond to the climate emergency. They're able to track emissions, they're able to check on crop formations and how that is impacting, and indeed, on the emissions from buildings.  

"So it's this type of technology that I hope - not just for Scotland but for the rest of the world- can help us to reach our net zero goals and to respond to the climate emergency." 

The Scottish Government has announced it will provide funding for D-CAT and other firms to attend the COP28 climate summit in Dubai next week. D-CAT will join 19 other organisations in being part of the Scottish business delegation to the United Nations event. It comes after last month’s Storm Babet which led to unprecedented levels of flooding. 

Gray hopes the Scottish presence at COP28 will strengthen the foundations established in Glasgow’s COP26 as well as strengthen Scotland’s international links within the climate sector.  

"I hope that it's a successful COP, not just from a business perspective, but also really importantly, a collaborative one. That we're able to continue to drive down carbon emissions to make sure that we are as a planet, maintaining our trajectory towards the Paris accord. 

“And that we continue from a Scottish perspective to see greater investment in the loss of damage that we led upon at the Glasgow COP."