About the Course

Today large amount of satellite imagery and geospatial data collected from different sources is available at free of cost. Satellite imagery combined with power of Geographic information System can be a great tool for supporting environmental management, disasters, global climate change, natural resources, wildlife, land cover and many other applications.

Processing this vast amount of data in time and space efficient manner and deriving useful information and knowledge from data is one of the most challenging aspect of geospatial technology.

Global warming, loss of biodiversity, food insecurity, pollution - the situation regarding the health of our planet is as serious as it is complex. Major global shocks have shown our vulnerability and set back the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The global community noticed that our collective problem-solving mechanisms do not match the pace or scale of the challenges we face. Today's complex, interconnected, and rapidly changing world requires a more effective multilateral system and strong inclusion of effective innovative tools.

Rationale and Context

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the Government of Costa Rica, and the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW) are jointly organizing a conference to promote the use of space technology in water management to the benefit of developing countries.

The Conference will be held in San José, Costa Rica, from 7-10 May 2024, hosted by and with the support of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) on behalf of the Government of Costa Rica.

The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) was set up by the General Assembly in 1959 to govern the exploration and use of space for the benefit of all humanity: for peace, security and development.