Earth & Space Week 2005: Celebrating our planet while reaching
for the stars ESA PR 07-2005. From 12 to 20 February, world
leaders, policy makers and space experts will gather in Brussels
for a week packed with events organised with a view to the 3rd
Earth Observation Summit - taking place for the first time in
Europe - and a major conference on international cooperation in
space. Earth and Space Week 2005 is being organised by the
European Commission in collaboration with the European Space
Agency. The International Earth Observation Summit on 16
February will help shape future Earth observation capabilities
and applications and increase cooperation in space, especially
vis-à-vis the developing world. Better coordinated observation
systems could save lives and preserve resources. The recent
Asian tsunami, which spread devastation across twelve countries
and led to the loss of over 180 000 lives, tragically underlines
the increasing importance of anticipation, planning and
response. Being able to survive such