UN-SPIDER Advances Space-Based Solutions for Coastal Resilience at the 32nd UN/IAF Workshop

Group Photo at the UN/IAF Workshop

Sydney, Australia – September 2025 — The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), through UN-SPIDER, played a key role at the 32nd United Nations/International Astronautical Federation (UN/IAF) Workshop. Held under the theme “Resilient Coasts, Resilient Earth: Innovative Space Solutions for Coastal Resilience and Emergency Management,” the event was co-organized with the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and supported by the Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO).

Regional Charter Training in South Africa

Regional Charter Training Kick-off on 15th September

Advancing Disaster Preparedness and Response in Southern Africa


Pretoria, South Africa, 15–19 September 2025 – UN-SPIDER cooperated with the Center for Remote Sensing of Land Surfaces (ZFL) of the University of Bonn, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and the International Disasters Charter, who co-organized a week-long training on the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters. 

Africa

UN-SPIDER and UNOOSA Highlighted at International Flood Management Conference Hosted by BME

GFP 2025 Group Photo

Budapest, 18 September 2025 – The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), through its UN-SPIDER programme, joined global experts, scientists, and disaster risk managers at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Global Flood Partnership (GFP), held from 15 to 17 September at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). The conference, focused on the evolving challenges and opportunities in flood protection, brought together over 70 participants from across five continents.

Hungary

University of Lancashire

Europe
Regional Support Office
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As a commitment towards contributing to a safer World, the experts from University of Lancashire have been contributing to the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER). This contribution has resulted in University of Lancashire becoming the Regional Support Office of the UN-SPIDER program, the programme administered by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), based in Vienna, Austria.

The UN-SPIDER Regional Support Office (RSO) in the United Kingdom, hosted by the University of Lancashire Preston, is one of the 27 RSOs of the UN-SPIDER programme. The cooperation agreement between University of Lancashire and UNOOSA was signed in Jan 2023.

The University of Lancashire is the international, multi-campus University tracing its roots back to 1828 and leading the way in modern learning today.

On the world stage, our research teams work collaboratively with major international organisations, from the United Nations and the World Health Organisation to the European Space Agency and NASA. Whether it’s helping to produce the world’s first photograph of a Black Hole, advising the Government on the potential fire risks to those living in high rise tower block, or supporting the wellbeing of those living with dementia, our researchers are delivering accessible and impactful research that is relevant to society.

University of Lancashire has Space Centre leading by Professor Robert Walsh who is expertise in solar astrophysics. This centre has collaborations with various space agencies across the world and working together on diverse issues such as climate change, disasters, spatial data and remote sensing, etc.

University of Lancashire brings together a multi-disciplinary team working at the intersection of geospatial science, disaster risk reduction, and environmental sustainability. Their research spans mangrove ecosystem mapping, hydro-territorial disaster analysis, AI-powered agricultural modelling, and resilience assessment in socio-environmental systems. These contributions have led to publications in peer-reviewed journals such as Nature Scientific Reports and other international outlets.

Key areas of expertise include:

  • Remote sensing for mangrove monitoring and conservation

  • Soil temperature prediction using machine learning in arid regions

  • Community resilience assessment in climate-vulnerable zones

  • Satellite-based early warning system development

Through various research projects conducted by University of Lancashire, several datasets are generated and maintained by the researchers, which also includes a strong database on the coastal area of the UK and a few other countries. Besides, the approached developed for monitoring ecosystems is a valuable resource for the UN-SPDIER network.

On top of that University of Lancashire’s GeoAI projects utilize a wide range of satellite imagery and Earth observation datasets.

Their technical approaches include:

  • Remote sensing image analysis

  • Machine learning and AI-driven modelling

  • Geospatial mapping and spatial statistics

For more information on the host institution, visit: https://www.UniversityofLancashire.ac.uk/

The first person of contact is:

 

Dr. Komali Kantamaneni

Co-Director – UN-SPIDER UK RSO

Coastal Scientist and Environmentalist

Senior Research Fellow

University of Lancashire Email: kkantamaneni [at] lancashire.ac.uk

 

Professor Robert Walsh

Co-Director – UN-SPIDER UK RSO

University of Lancashrie Space -Lead

University of Lancashire Email: RWWalsh [at] lancashire.ac.uk

University of Lancashire has played a key role in facilitating global research and knowledge exchange through international partnerships across Mauritius, Brazil, Ireland, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Russia, and Uzbekistan and other several coteries. These exchanges have enabled joint research activities, interdisciplinary dialogue, and co-authored publications that address critical issues in climate adaptation and disaster management.

Through visiting scholar and student initiatives, University of Lancashire strengthens capacity in GeoAI, satellite data use, and resilience-building. These collaborative efforts support both scientific advancement and the generation of policy-relevant knowledge, particularly in regions vulnerable to coastal disasters, flooding, and climate stress

The University of Lancashire has specialized laboratories within the UK- UN-SPIDER RSO. It also has several engineering and science labs and workstations equipped with several remote sensing and photogrammetric software’s including GIS software

Courses (at undergraduate, postgraduate (teaching and research, professional courses): in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Fire Engineering, Astrophysics, Aerospace Engineering, Emergency Management in High Hazard Industries with the elements of spatial tools, GIS, vulnerable mapping, Drones, etc.

Advanced training in: emergency response and disaster management, optical and radar Earth Observation data processing, geospatial intelligence, image analysis, data clustering, coastal monitoring and mapping.

Expertise in organising training courses, summer schools and workshops and other outreach activities.

Dr. Komali Kantamaneni
Co-Director – UN-SPIDER UK RSO
Coastal Scientist and Environmentalist
Senior Research Fellow
University of Lancashire Email: kkantamaneni [at] lancashire.ac.uk

 

Professor Robert Walsh
Co-Director – UN-SPIDER UK RSO
University of Lancashrie Space -Lead
University of Lancashire Email: RWWalsh [at] lancashire.ac.uk

 

NOAA-20 Satellite Imagery Reveals Scale of Historic Flooding in Pakistan

Extensive flooding in Punjab on September 9, 2025, (c) NASA

Since late June 2025, unusually heavy monsoon rains have led to widespread flooding in Pakistan, claiming hundreds of lives, destroying infrastructure, and submerging large areas of farmland. Millions of people have been affected, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) describing the disaster in eastern Punjab province as the most severe in its history.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154781/monsoon-rains-flood-pakistan

University of Bonn, IPA Space and UNOOSA Sign Partnership to Strengthen Global Space Capacity

IPA, University of Bonn and UNOOSA representatives at the signing ceremony

Bonn, [12th September 2025] — The University of Bonn, the International Peace Alliance (IPA Space), and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) have signed a four-year partnership to advance global capacity-building in the peaceful use of space technology.

Palm Tree Detection in Tongatapu for Carbon Credit Estimation

Palm Tree Detection in Tongatapu for Carbon Credit Estimation

Background

Following the completion of the Tonga Disaster Preparedness Pilot Project, national authorities identified an urgent need for reliable vegetation datasets to strengthen their environmental reporting and climate action planning. Palm trees are not only a defining feature of Tonga’s landscapes but also a key component of the Agriculture, Forestry & Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector under the UNFCCC reporting framework.

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