by Xinhua writers Zhao Jiasong, Gao Wencheng
DUBLIN, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Ireland could play a greater role in China-Europe Earth observation by contributing its expertise in ocean and climate research, a member of the Irish delegation to the European Space Agency (ESA) has said.
Ireland's position on the western edge of Europe and its access to a large area of the Atlantic give it a strong base for monitoring changes in the ocean, weather and climate, Niall Bolger told Xinhua in a recent interview in Dublin, the Irish capital.
"I think in ocean modeling, ocean science, as well as climate science, there could be great potential for Irish, European and Chinese cooperation," he said.
Bolger was attending the 2026 Dragon 6 Mid-term Symposium, being held in Dublin. The Dragon Program, launched by China's Ministry of Science and Technology and the ESA in 2004, brings Chinese and European scientists together to conduct research using Earth observation data.
ROOM FOR IRISH PARTICIPATION
No Irish researchers are currently involved in Dragon projects, partly because the program is not yet widely known in Ireland, Bolger said.
However, Ireland, an ESA member since 1975, already has a strong research base that could support future cooperation, he said. Its Marine Institute and Environmental Protection Agency both fund research, operate monitoring stations and conduct surveys at sea, increasingly combining ground and ocean measurements with satellite observations.
Ireland's Atlantic location also allows researchers to study ocean circulation and weather systems that affect much of Western Europe, he said.
Bolger said Ireland's space sector is unlikely to compete with larger countries in building rockets or major satellites. Its strength instead lies in specialist areas such as artificial intelligence, sensors, software and components that can be used across the space industry.
SCIENCE ACROSS BORDERS
Bolger said China's progress in Earth observation and satellite navigation was "impressive," adding its expanding national and commercial satellite programs would create more opportunities for scientific cooperation.
"China is already a powerhouse in space technology," he said.
He said wider access to satellite data and navigation signals could also encourage research and commercial applications, pointing to the role of Europe's Copernicus Earth observation program and Galileo navigation system.
Bolger said the Dragon Program was valuable because it allowed scientists to continue working together.
"It's pure science, it's pure endeavor," he said, adding that its work was aimed at producing practical benefits for society.
Countries need to maintain their own technological capabilities, but scientific cooperation remains essential, he said.
"This is a small planet. We need to work together to achieve great things," Bolger said. ■
