Under Barbara's leadership, millions of satellite images have been made available to the general public at no charge, allowing scientists, planners and policy makers to make better-informed decisions on environmental problems. Barbara's career began in 1974 at the USGS. From 2008 to 2012, she was Director of the WMO Space Programme, and from 2012 to 2018, Ryan was the Secretariat Director of GEO in Geneva, Switzerland. In January 2021, Barbara became Executive Director of the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC), a global not-for-profit trade association of private-sector companies working in the geospatial and Earth observation ecosystem.

Abstract

WaPOR - Monitoring Water Productivity through Open access of remotely sensed derived data

'Andreas Littkopf holds a degree in agriculture (terrestrial ecology) from the Humboldt University in Berlin (1986) and a degree in business management (2000). After working as head of the department in a local environmental agency, he acted as Pre-Accession Adviser and residential Twinning Adviser in Poland and Slovenia implementing environment related EU directives. From 2007 he led the European Topic Centre for Land Use and Spatial Information (ETC/LUSI, 2007-2010) and the European Topic Centre for Spatial Information and Analysis (ETC/SIA) during 2011-2012. He also co-ordinated research activities of the University teams and was task manager in several FP7 projects related to earth observation and environmental information management. In July 2012 he started working at the Environment Agency Austria, where he was responsible for project development with European and international financial institutions and coordinated a Central Asian project on environmental monitoring. From 2015 he has been leading the European Topic Centre on Urban, Land and Soil systems and since 2022 the new ETC data integration and digitisation, which supports the EEA among others in implementing the Copernicus land monitoring program. Furthermore, he supports the development of remote sensing expertise in the European Neighbourhood East and participates as a data expert for monitoring Nature based solutions in H2020 projects.'

Abstract

SDGs has become omnipresent in the last years of our societal discussions as well as governmental strategies, plans and justifications. The European Green Deal (EGD) as the political framework and driver of further development of environmental monitoring in Europe has a lot in common with the SDGs. Although we can't use 1:1 EGD indicators for SDG targets, a substantial number of EGD assessments are directly linked to SDGs.

The EGD is focused primarily on Europe and the European Union (EU) and includes several targets and initiatives, like climate neutrality, where firstly GHG emissions shall be reduced by 55% by 2030 and achieving a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. The EGD has a stronger focus on climate change and energy transition and is embedded in a political framework with the European Climate Law, the Renovation Wave, and the Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy.

The Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS), implemented by the European Environment Agency (EEA) plays a crucial role in monitoring progress, inter alia towards SDG 13 (Climate Action), since it provides data and information, specifically on GHG emissions from land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF), which is central for understanding the sources and trends of GHG emissions in this sector.

Furthermore, several High Resolution Layers (HRLs) including forest cover, grassland and imperviousness are provided, which are essential for the monitoring of SDG 15 (Life on Land) and the Urban Atlas, done for around 800 cities in Europe, contributes among other things with data on land use changes, which are indispensable for assessing SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

While CLMS is providing data for Europe, national governmental institutions do further detailed assessments on national and regional level.

Looking to SDG 7, which calls for access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, Earth observation in Austria contributes to the creation of energy plans and strategies by providing data on energy demand, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources. This information will help to promote investment in clean energy sources and accelerate the expansion of renewable energy in Austria.

More examples from Europe and Austria will be shown.

Under Barbara's leadership, millions of satellite images have been made available to the general public at no charge, allowing scientists, planners and policy makers to make better-informed decisions on environmental problems. Barbara's career began in 1974 at the USGS. From 2008 to 2012, she was Director of the WMO Space Programme, and from 2012 to 2018, Ryan was the Secretariat Director of GEO in Geneva, Switzerland. In January 2021, Barbara became Executive Director of the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC), a global not-for-profit trade association of private-sector companies working in the geospatial and Earth observation ecosystem.

Shin-ichi Sobue got a master degree of engineering from Toyohashi university of Technology in Japan in 1989 and got a philosophical doctor of engineering from Kennedy-Western University in USA in 2000. His major is image data analysis of earth observation data. He joined JAXA in 1989 and had been work for earth observation satellite ground system development and data research management. From January 2017 to 2021, he served Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2) project manager. From 2022, he serves deputy chief officer of Earth Observation missions and ALOS-2 mission manager in JAXA. He also plays a role of co-lead of GEOGLAM Asia-RiCE team, ISPRS commission I workgroup 1 co-chair and vice president of remote sensing society of Japan.

Abstract

JAXA's Earth Observation Satellites and SDGs

Dr. Pooja Mahapatra is responsible for geospatial and remote sensing solutions at Fugro. Since 2019, she has worked on commercializing a variety of cutting-edge Fugro innovations, with applications ranging from coastal resilience to railway track maintenance. Through Fugro, she is an active member of the Disaster Resilience Working Group of the WGIC. From 2016 to 2019, she led the global technology deployment and replication efforts in the geospatial domain at Shell, and provided internal consultancy on remote sensing, geospatial analytics and geodesy to various parts of the business. Prior to this, she was a senior InSAR engineer at SkyGeo. Pooja holds a PhD from Delft University of Technology on satellite remote sensing (InSAR) for ground deformation monitoring. Her passion lies in applying geospatial to real-world challenges, and was honoured to be selected as one of "Geospatial World's 50 Rising Stars" in 2022.

Abstract

Geo-data for making better decisions on climate change adaptation - focus on small islands

Mikael J.A. Maes is an Environmental Data Scientist at the Environment Directorate of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He specialises in using geospatial data and statistical programming to understand better environmental processes and the impact of climate change around the world. At the OECD, he supports countries by developing data and indicators on the amount of protected areas and by studying the impact and vulnerability of countries to air pollution and climate hazards, amongst other themes. Mikael has more than eight years of experience in climate change and environment research in academia, public, private and international spheres. During his Ph.D., he studied the relationship between mental health, cognition and nature exposure and how these ecosystem benefits can be better integrated into SEEA accounting. He holds two M.Sc. degrees and a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Biology.

Abstract

GoldenEye H2020 project

We give human analysts superhuman powers with our proven and awards winning suite of AI platforms.

OPT/NET team is solving the most challenging real-time geo analytical and telemetry analysis problems.

Two of our flagship projects are funded under EC Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) funding. These two Horizon 2020 projects are GoldenEye and CENTURION. These advanced AI projects demonstrate the advanced EoD and Big Data processing platforms that we developed over the years through collaboration with ESA, Copernicus, European Commission and the industry.

The most successful and commercially attractive use cases for which OPT/NET has solutions are in mining, agriculture, forestry, maritime and emergency management sectors.

Our mission ready platforms are available today, offering unparalleled capabilities for near real time processing of all types of sensor data at the lowest cost and minimum effort from the operators.

Our mission is to improve the lives of more than 1 billion people in the next 5 years by applying powerful AI to processing of the Earth observations data and systems telemetry.

Abstract

During the last decades we have seen a great effort from the scientific community, governments and organizations to bring awareness of the real threat that climate change is for humanity. Many industries are investing in their transition towards sustainability, and many others are seeing how they can support the fight against climate change and the energy transition.

Space is one of these industries, and specifically, the ability to monitor our Earth from space, in order to provide information to policy makers and organizations worldwide in a timely manner.

GEOSAT is a European Earth Observation satellite operator and data and services provider, which is also contributing to Earth monitoring, energy transition and to the fight against climate change.

GEOSAT has developed tools, such as a Lithium detection algorithm, in order to identify key resources for the energy transition. We also contribute with the monitoring of land usage, environmental impact assessments, tracking of renewal energy projects, as well as carbon mapping. Thanks to LEO satellites, large areas can be monitored in a short period of time, providing biomass area calculation, and tracking carbon credit initiatives.

Alex Sweeney is a Senior Geospatial Data Analyst at Locana with a decade of experience in the climate, environmental remote sensing, and GIS fields. Her experience includes working with multivariate geospatial data ranging from satellite derived products, climate models, and ground-based observational data. She utilizes both open source and proprietary software for the acquisition, management, processing, and delivery of data. Her interdisciplinary background and foundation in climate science (B.S. Earth and Space Exploration, M.A. Climate and Society) affords her the ability to leverage different geospatial techniques to draw meaningful insights and publish sector-specific outputs.

Abstract

Open-Source Climate Adaptation Decision Support Tools: Why they're imperative and tales from the field

It is extraordinarily clear that climate change is accelerating, the time to act is dwindling, and climate policies are underperforming in their ability to reduce emissions and prohibit unabated climate change. It is equally clear that Geospatial Data and Technology will play a vital and central role in identifying responses to the array of climate related challenges. In this scenario, the most vulnerable populations often lack tools and information necessary to mitigate the disastrous impacts of climate hazards on their lives and livelihoods and develop fact-based strategies for long-term adaptation. As the world experiences increasing extreme weather events and changes in climatic patterns, already vulnerable agrarian and agropastoral communities will bear the brunt of the impacts. Agricultural producers are confronting the climate crisis in real time, and individuals, communities and governments need reliable information to support decision making - farmers and farmer-cooperatives need to understand what adaptation options exist for their specific location and crop/livestock mix, businesses need support in understanding how changes in climate may impact their entire value chain, and governments and international cooperation actors must have a multidimensional view into the impacts of and countermeasures for the deepening climate crisis in their areas of interest. Open-source Climate Adaptation Decision Support Tools can provide much needed data points to help answer user specific questions. These Tools not only foster education and collaboration, they also allow users the agency to make data driven decisions. Locana has recently formed partnerships to build out two unique decision support tools. Our presentation will demonstrate how together we brought their ideas to life - the rationale behind the tools, what open-source solutions we used, as well as where the future lies for these types of tools. Within this, we'll deep-dive into what data is needed, how to automate data pipelines, the critical need for tailored analyses, and tech stacks for optimal reusability.

Until 2016, she has been production manager of pan-European geographical dataset EuroRegionalMap and is now managing the implementation of the federal geospatial platform geo.be according to INSPIRE compliancy. In the past 3 years, she has been acting as a technical adviser for the Open Map for Europe platform hold by the EuroGeographics association. She is currently deeply involved in the working group on data integration of UNGGIM-Europe as co-chair. She has followed with warm interest the GSW training sessions on geospatial knowledge infrastructure of the past 2 years.

Doria Tai has had an extensive career in the Sabah Lands and Surveys Department, starting as a Land Development Planning officer in 1989 and eventually becoming the District Surveyor West Coast North in 1994. She went on to lead the Land Information System Section, which later transformed into the Geospatial Development Management Section, from 1997 until 2019. In 2020, she was appointed as the Director of Digital Government Division within the Sabah State Public Service Department. Throughout her career, Doria has worked on various projects related to ICT, LIS, GIS, and SDI, including the State GDI Clearinghouse. Currently, she is leading the Sabah Geo Hub, a project aimed at providing data to projects and empowering district offices with resource maps for better decision-making. Her work with the Data Integration and Interchange Platform (DIIP) is to harmonise data from People, Business, and Geo Hubs, enabling the facilitation of numerous applications that are transforming public services in the Sabah Government for the benefit of its citizens.

Abstract

Geospatial Data and Mapping for Inclusive Decision-Making during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Sabah Geo Hub Experience

The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges and yet, brought together opportunities for the state government of Sabah to work on the initiatives that aligning to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) principle of leaving no one behind. Inclusive management of information and services are becoming a lot more crucial for reaching all communities during pandemic as well as peace times. In Malaysia and Sabah particularly, due to the lack of infrastructure and technology support in various aspects that strive towards efficient sharing and exchange of big data, it pushes the state government to design its digital government solutions more intuitively. For example, during the pandemic, government needed information on hospital bed availability and quarantine centers to arrange swift patient transportation, the government obtained aggregated data from official sources and social media, stored it in the Sabah Geo Hub to enable more efficient dissemination of information, communication, and awareness efforts. The public was also informed of essential goods' availability, allowing them to safely access these items. This paper discusses the importance of inclusive management during pandemics and highlights the role of geospatial data in addressing these challenges.

Jean is a public health expert trained in Internal Medicine, Healthcare Quality and Health Equity. He has has a strong understanding of program planning, deployment and evaluation, with 5 years of experience in overseeing regional and national collaborative Quality and Safety as well as Process Improvement initiatives with hospitals and health systems. Jean also has deep expertise in clinical medicine, population health, healthcare systems and quality improvement science, with experience with underserved communities.

Stella is passionate about the use of Earth observation for enhancing capacity in food security and helping farmers increase their yield. She has received various accolades for her exemplary work in promoting the use of EO data and tools to deliver meaningful impact across Africa. At WFP, she provides support with spatial analysis on natural hazards, environmental degradation and other datasets through the development and implementation of EO-based solutions.

Clinton Heimann is the Deputy Director General of Spatial Planning and Land Use Management in the National Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development.

A registered Town and Regional planner by profession, he holds a Master's degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Pretoria. He has more than 24 years of professional experience, with a specific focus on strategic planning and programme development and the management of infrastructure and agricultural projects, including infrastructural and institutional development for rural and urban areas in South Africa. He has worked in numerous National Departments, including the: 1. Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, 2. Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, 3. Department Cooperation Governance and Traditional Affairs.

He is currently responsible for managing and implementing the Department's policies, programmes and budgets across all regions and provinces, as well as promoting integrated spatial planning and land management throughout South Africa through strategic partnerships with relevant national and international stakeholders. He represents South Africa at the UN-GGIM and the UN-GGIM Africa and various other high-level meetings and partnership the SDG Data Alliance.

His current functions include administering the following National Acts: 1. Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act; 2. the Spatial Data Infrastructure Act; and 3. the Planning Professions Act. His key areas of focus over the next 3 years are: 1. The embedding and implementation of the recently gazetted, National Spatial Development Framework 2050, which is South Africa's long-term vision for spatial planning and development, and 2. The development of the South African Spatial Data Infrastructure (SASDI) the cornerstone of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), will enable the integration of spatial information into decision-making to this end the SDG Data Alliance provides a sound basis for information and technology sharing. This work includes supporting and strengthening the Committee on Spatial Information in terms of coordination, monitoring, and development of spatial information policies, standards, and strategies across the different levels of government.

Abstract

South African Sustainable Development Goals Geospatial Roadmap

South Africa is one of the countries participating in the Sustainable Development Goals Data Alliance and is receiving support from the SDG Data Alliance partners to develop and SDG Data Hub. Although the output of the project is an operational SDG Data Hub, the outcome is also of outmost the importance as the focus is beyond technology but more about strengthening partnerships and a strong governance. Strengthened partnerships and strong governance are critical elements required to sustain the relationship between the two entities responsible for National Statistics System and the National Spatial Data Infrastructure which are Statistics South Africa and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.

The three components of governance, technology and people are outlined in the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF) as developed by the United Nations - Global Geospatial Information Management Committee of Experts. The IGIF framework provides a basis and guide for developing, integrating, strengthening, and maximizing geospatial information management and related resources within a country. The same framework is applied to formulate the South African SDG Geospatial Roadmap which outlines the path taken and the progress made towards an Integrated Statistics and Geospatial SDG Reporting Programme. Even though the SDG Data Hub is a project with timelines, an Integrated Statistics and Geospatial SDG Reporting Programme is a long-term arrangement between Statistics South Africa and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.

The long-term vision of the South African SDG Geospatial Roadmap as outlined by the two entities is to have an integrated statistics and location-based information recognised and accepted as official data for the SDG monitoring and reporting. The main goal is to have every statistical record linked to space(location) because everything happens somewhere.

The first stage of the project included an assessment of both institutions focusing on governance, legislation, policies, standards, data, technology, quality assessment frameworks, etc. In respect of governance, both the Statistics and the Spatial Data Infrastructure legislations provide a solid foundation that fosters collaboration, coordination, and cooperation amongst organs of the two organs of state in support of SDG reporting.

Francesca Piatto is a down-to-Earth professional who works at the intersection of EU policy and projects, community and technology.

Since graduating with her Master in EU External Relations and International Migration from the University of Kent Brussels, Francesca has accrued a range of accomplishments ahead. She collaborated on EU projects with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Rosario, Argentina, as well as Business Bridge Europe, where she was a key part of the team that delivered the annual EU Space Conference.

More recently, she has been engaged at the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC). Here, she coordinates the European Commission's flagship "e-shape" project, which develops and promotes European Earth Observation capabilities with and for the users. Her particular focus is supporting user uptake and managing institutional liaisons.

When not at work, Francesca enjoys hiking; she aims to improve her sailing skills and hopes to someday write a children's book about how satellite data helps the planet.

Nathan Vercruyssen is one the senior-scientists engineer of cosine's Remote Sensing business unit. cosine is a leading worldwide company in the development of space instrumentation, such as Silicon Pore Optics or remote sensing solutions with onboard processing. These are used in scientific, industrial, medical, environmental, energy, agri/food, security, semiconductor and space applications, with customers ranging from small high-tech companies to large space agencies. Based in the Netherlands, the company combines physics and technology to bring out-of-the-box solutions to its clients. cosine has been developing and delivering innovative measurement systems for space and industrial applications since 1998.

Peter is expert in Remote Sensing and GIS-based applications for Agriculture, Forestry and Environmental Monitoring, and Senior Project Manager for Agricultural Information Systems and International Insurance at GAF. He has an excellent understanding of biodiversity principles, European biodiversity strategy, climate change mitigation, and European Union Policies like the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement. With his in-depth knowledge of the Copernicus Programme and Space applications he can look upon a long career of managing large interdisciplinary and international technical projects. He holds an MSc in Geography from the University of Regensburg.

Abstract

AgroSuite - Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security supporting the Governmental and Private Sectors

The EU Common Agricultural Policy requires Governments to use Earth Observation (EO) and geodata in their Agricultural Monitoring. At the same time, EO is a cornerstone in the implementation and verification of a healthy food system in the frame of the EU Green Deal. The GAF AgroSuite provides a comprehensive set of geodata products, services and tools tailored to the Users' needs, including crop- & grassland monitoring, yield forecast, high resolution Soil Moisture at different depths, as well as tools for Agricultural Insurance to mitigate production risks and support sustainable agriculture.