The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the University of Bonn have renewed their partnership, reinforcing their commitment to leveraging space technology in response to growing threats from natural and human-made disasters. This five-year agreement, signed today in Vienna, extends the "Spaceborne Earth Observation Applications for Emergency Response and Disaster Risk Reduction" (SPEAR) project, focusing on African nations.
Hazards continue to endanger lives, displace communities, and undermine global sustainable development. Satellite-based Earth observation is an essential tool in mitigating these impacts, providing timely and detailed data for disaster risk assessment, emergency response, and recovery. SPEAR II will enhance these capabilities, particularly in vulnerable regions, by ensuring that space-based information is more accessible and actionable.
SPEAR II, implemented by the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) programme and the University of Bonn’s Centre for Remote Sensing of Land Surfaces (ZFL), will assist African Member States. Over the next five years, SPEAR II will advance methodologies for using satellite data to monitor and mitigate natural hazards, focusing on capacity-building within participating Member States.
The partnership will facilitate the exchange of expertise through expert meetings and conferences, translating cutting-edge research into practical applications on the ground. This collaboration not only enhances disaster resilience but also contributes significantly to sustainable development, particularly in regions most affected by climate change and environmental degradation.
For more information see the United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS) press release.
Image Credits: UNIS Vienna / Anne Proprentner
