2015 will be a decisive year for the international community paving the way for sustainable development worldwide. Three important processes led by the United Nations are underway leading to three agreements expected for 2015: the Post 2015 Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (March 2015), the Sustainable Development Goals (September 2015), and the new Climate Change Agreement (December 2015). Geoinformation and especially Earth Observation provide indispensable data to support informed decision making at local, national, regional and global level to reduce disaster risks, improve adaptation to climate change, prepare better for unavoidable losses and damages, and deliver on the promise of sustainable development.
The United Nations/Germany International Conference on Earth Observation – Global solutions for the challenges of sustainable development in societies at risk aimed at bridging the gap between Earth Observation experts and decision makers to find Earth observation solutions that match the challenges of governments in societies at risk. The objectives were to address important challenges, demonstrate existing solutions, identify future potential, and facilitate collaboration. The space community has already started a global effort to contribute to the new framework for disaster-risk reduction. The conference served as a platform to facilitate the coordination of this open group to help countries in their efforts to institutionalize the use of space-based information for disaster risk reduction. Sustainable development, adaptation to climate change, managing climate-change induced extreme weather events, dealing with losses and damages, and reducing disaster risks are strongly interlinked processes. The conference provided a setting for decision makers and experts to agree on ways to use Earth Observation in combination with in-situ data to track progress in reaching the targets in the Post-2015 frameworks.
Read more about the outcomes of the conference in the UN-SPIDER news article.
More details are available in the information note and in the agenda.
| Keynote presentations | |
|---|---|
| Simonetta Di Pippo (UNOOSA): Space technologies for the post-2015 development agenda - UN processes and UNOOSA's role | Download |
| Special Talk | |
| Alexander Gerst (ESA): The blue dot perspective | Download |
| Session 1: The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2013 - Opportunities for Earth observation | |
| Günter Strunz (DLR): The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction - Opportunities for Earth observation | Download |
| Pedro Basabe (UNISDR): Outcome of the Third UN WCDRRR - The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015- 20130 | Download |
| Juan Carlos Villagran de Leon (UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER): UN-SPIDER efforts in the context of the Sendai framework for Disaster Risk Reduction | Download |
| Session 1, Working Group 1: Earth observation to support the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 | |
| Shunichi Koshimura (Tohoku University, Japan): Advances of Remote Sensing for Mapping Disaster Impact | Download |
| Nataliia Kussul (Space Research Institute NAS and SSA, Ukraine): Druoght risk assessment in Ukraine using satellite data | Download |
| Summary of working group discussion points | Download |
| Session 1, Working Group 2: National Information Needs | |
| Axel Rottländer (DKKV): Collaboration between science and practicioners | Download |
| Pema Thinley (Department of Disaster Management, Bhutan): Disaster Management in Bhutan: The demand for information | Download |
| Summary of working group discussion points | Download |
| Session 1, Working Group 3: The Sendai Framework on DRR Global Partnership on Earth observation | |
| Summary of working group discussion points | Download |
| Session 2: Current capabilities and future potentials of Earth observation to support climate change agreements | |
| Florin Vladu (UNFCCC): Systematic observations of the climate system under the UNFCCC: An overview | Download |
| Kenneth Holmlund (GCOS): Global Climate Observing System and the role of satellite data in climate monitoring | Download |
| Hansjörg Dittus (DLR): Implementation of reliable control mechanisms from Space to ensure the adherence of climate change agreements | Download |
| Session 2, Working Group 1: Systematic observation for climate change mitigation | |
| Laras Toersilowati (LAPAN, Indonesia): Impact of land use and land cover changes on the urban climate and environment, studied with satellite observation, GIS, weather research forecast model, and atmospheric database management | Download |
| Summary of working group discussion points | Download |
| Session 2, Working Group 2: Systematic observation and monitoring for climate change adaptation and loss & damage | |
| Durairaju Kumaran Raju (Geoscience Consulting, Singapore): Vulnerability and risk assessment - A pilot study for central region of Singapore | Download |
| Francis Ohemeng (Ghana Irrigation Development Authority): The irrigation sub-sector contribution to adaptation measures in Ghana | Download |
| Summary of working group discussion points | Download |
| Session 2, Working Group 3: Extreme climatic events | |
| Shirish Ravan (UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER): Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Space technology initiatives, challenges, and opportunities | Download |
| Julio Castillo (Mexican Space Agency): Remote sensing applications for the mitigation of floods in Mexico | Download |
| Session 3: Global Development Agenda and national needs | |
| Niklas Hedman (UNOOSA): Global Space Governance: The role of COPUOS and UN-Space | Download |
| Thomas Kemper (EC JRC): The need for global fine scale settlement mapping and monitoring | Download |
| Bettina Menne (WHO): Space-based information for health and SDGs | Download |
| Session 4: Solutions to address these challenges | |
| Nilesh Mistry (Digital Globe): Seeing a better world | Download |
| Thomas Häusler (GAF AG): Contribution of EO to the Monitoring of Deforestation and Degradation in the Context of REDD | Download |
| Stefano Natali (SISTEMA GmbH): The multi-sensor evolution analysis (MEA) system as support tool for global sustainable development challenges | Download |
| Karin Schenk (EOMAP GmbH): Harmonized multi-resolution water quality monitoring services for inland and coastal waters | Download |
| Peter Zeil (EC Copernicus): Providing operational services in a sustainable manner - who does what best? | Download |
| Special session: Joint UN-Space - Bonn Conference High Level Panel on Space-based information for development | |
| Kenneth Holmlund (GCOS) | Download |
| Jakob Rhyner (UNU-EHS) | Download |
| Session 5: Enhancing resilience: The role of space mechanisms | |
| Francoise Villette (EC Copernicus): Copernicus Emergency Service | Download |
| Jens Danzeglocke (DLR): The International Charter "Space and Major Disasters" | Download |
| Luc St-Pierre (UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER): How UN-SPIDER contributes to sustainable development | Download |
| Stefan Voigt (DLR): DLR Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI) | Download |
| Suju Li (NDRCC): Practices on Using Earth Observation Resources for Disaster Risk Reduction in China | Download |
