The Central European University (CEU) conducted a summer university course "Geospatial Technologies for Building Resilience" from 24 - 28 July. The course is organised in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and UN-SPIDER.
Geospatial technologies and remote sensing are valuable resources to monitor the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their corresponding targets and indicators. They allow for unbiased observation and analysis across borders, administrative boundaries, and nations. Furthermore, geospatial information and technologies are particularly critical to strengthening urban and rural resilience, where economic, agricultural, and various social sectors intersect. This is particularly reflected through the mission of SDG-11 – to "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable".
However, there is still a gap between the tremendous potential of these technologies and the world of environmental decision- and policy-makers. Not only can the immense realm of geospatial technologies seem daunting, it is also difficult to keep up with the ever-evolving applications of geospatial technologies.
This workshop aimed to address this gap by providing in-service education and professional training for decision-makers and practitioners to assist them in making better informed data-driven decisions.This year’s workshop explored the use of geospatial technologies for building and improving the resilience of communities to disasters and climate change. Keynote speakers gave theoretical presentations and shared their best-use practices of geospatial technologies, which was followed by practical sessions on their application.
