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UNOOSA and SICA join forces to enhance the use of space technologies in Central America
Sat May 22 2021
On 11 May 2021, Ms. Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA, and Mr. Vinicio Cerezo, Secretary General of the Central American Integration System (SICA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding for both institutions to work together to further their shared goals and objectives regarding the use of space science and technology for sustainable socio-economic and environmental development. The MoU...
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Harmful Algal Blooms: The Importance of Early Satellite Detection
Fri May 21 2021
Harmful algal blooms endanger the health of both humans and animals through poor water quality and can cause economic loss to coastal communities. Such algal blooms are composed of an excess of cyanobacteria, which becomes dangerous when subjected to certain conditions, such as extended sunlight exposure, stagnant water, and the increased presence of various nutrients from fertilizers. Under such...
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Increased Volcanic Activity in Guatemala in 2021: Fuego and Pacaya
Fri May 14 2021
In Guatemala there are two volcanoes which have been more active recently: Fuego and Pacaya. These volcanoes pose a prominent threat to the lives of the inhabitants of the highly populated surrounding areas. This threat is evidenced by the 2018 eruption of Fuego, which caused the deaths of nearly 200 people, and the recent activity of Pacaya volcano since the beginning of the year, that has...
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UNOOSA hosts the 7th IAA Planetary Defense Conference
Fri May 7 2021
The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) successfully concluded its 7th Planetary Defense Conference on 30 April 2021. The conference, which was carried out virtually from 26 to 30 April 2021, was hosted by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and attracted hundreds of experts from the space community. The...
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The non-COVID-19 disasters in the year 2020
Thu May 6 2021
Undoubtedly, the year 2020 will be remembered as the year when COVID-19 began to impact societies worldwide as a truly trans-boundary health hazard, manifesting the vulnerability of people in developed and in developing countries alike. The news about the COVID-19 pandemic blurred news related to other disasters triggered by natural, technological and biological hazards. One of those was the...
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Peru's INDECI & CONIDA host webinar on the use of satellite technologies in disaster risk management research
Mon May 3 2021
Like many countries in Latin America, Peru is exposed to a variety of natural hazards that have triggered disasters in previous decades. Disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts are coordinated by the National Civil Defense Institute (INDECI). In recent years, INDECI has benefited from the advisory support provided by Peru’s National Commission for Aerospace Research and...
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UN-SPIDER/NASRDA/NEMA/NIHSA/ZFL Virtual expert meeting discusses space-based solutions for disaster risk management and emergency response in Nigeria
Wed Apr 14 2021
In recent decades, communities in Nigeria have experienced disasters triggered by floods, droughts, landslides, coastal erosion, oil spills, and other natural and technological hazards that have eroded hard-won development gains. Taking note of advances in space technologies and other technological innovations.
Since 2008, the UN-SPIDER programme of the Office for Outer Space Affairs of the...
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ASAL provides EO data to the International Charter Space and Major Disasters
Tue Apr 13 2021
In recent years, the frequency and severity of natural hazards has increased dramatically. This development has escalated the risk of disasters and their devastating impact on the environment and communities around the world. Earth observation (EO) data has the potential to mitigate the risks of disasters and support all phases of the disaster management cycle. The international community has...
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JAXA and NTT DATA embark on joint research to improve 3D mapping for disaster management
Tue Apr 13 2021
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) partnered with NTT DATA Corporation, a leading digital business and IT services provider, to conduct research on space-borne LIDAR to improve 3D mapping. The research aims to “solve the technical challenges” and “improve the accuracy” of space-borne 3D mapping in order to support disaster management efforts globally.
LIDAR refers to “a laser altimeter...
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GWIS launches country profiles to support wildfire risk management in LAC region
Tue Mar 30 2021
Increasing in frequency and severity, wildfires have had a devastating impact in several areas around the world in recent years. The effects of wildfires pose a particular risk to the environment and communities in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. In order to mitigate the effects of wildfires and support wildfire risk management in the region, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the...
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ESA and OHB Sweden sign contract for prototype satellite to gather Arctic weather data
Tue Mar 30 2021
The Arctic is warming at a faster pace than any other region on the planet. The dramatic effects that come with this increase in Arctic temperature have a detrimental impact on the global environment. Drastic sea ice loss in the Arctic, for example, has been linked to natural hazards all over the world. In order to fill the existent information gap on Arctic weather, the European Space Agency (...
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Space4Youth Competition 2021 launched
Thu Mar 25 2021
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) have launched the third edition of their Space4Youth competition. Under the title Youth4Climate, this year's focus is on climate mitigation and adaptation. In order to participate, students and young professionals from any Member State of the United Nations are invited to submit an essay on...
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ASIS tool by FAO helps monitor agricultural droughts and manage their risks at country level using EO data
Mon Mar 22 2021
In recent years, droughts have been impacting several regions of the world on a more frequent and severe basis. The long-lasting effects of such droughts are taking a toll on farmers and their livelihoods, forcing some of them to seek alternate sources of income through migration to cities in their countries and in other countries in extreme cases. The World Meteorological Organization identifies...
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Multi-risk information system initiated under the coordination of DLR to continue disaster risk management support in South America
Wed Mar 17 2021
The use of multi-risk information systems is crucial in confronting the increasing risks posed by natural hazards. In some cases, risk is increasing due to inadequate land-use norms or regulations that allow for the construction of infrastructure in areas exposed to such natural hazards. In other cases, vulnerability increases due to lack of awareness or extreme poverty. The need to address...
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Latin American partners successfully complete virtual training course on forest fire management
Mon Mar 15 2021
Recent advances in the implementation of open data policies such as those that facilitate access to satellite data and products of the Copernicus programme and the incorporation of cloud-based processing platforms such as Google Earth Engine are facilitating the use of Earth Observation to address challenges posed by natural hazards. In addition, complementary efforts by international networks...
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Swiss Re and ICEYE join efforts to improve flood modelling and support disaster management globally
Mon Mar 15 2021
The world leading insurance and reinsurance provider Swiss Re recently partnered with the commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite operator ICEYE to improve flood modelling and support disaster response efforts around the world.
A flood is a broad term that refers to “the overflow of water from a stream channel into normally dry land in the floodplain (riverine flooding), higher-than–...
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NASA monitors two volcanoes in the Caribbean
Wed Mar 10 2021
Recently, two volcanoes in the Caribbean indicated increased activity: Mount Pelée on Martinique and the La Soufrière volcano on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Mount Pelée has been experiencing seismic activity and the La Soufrière volcano has been releasing gas. In light of this increased activity and the risk that a potential volcanic eruption poses to the environment and human life, a...
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ESA picks next Earth Explorer mission: Harmony
Fri Mar 5 2021
The European Space Agency (ESA) wants to further develop the understanding of our planet. For this purpose, ESA chose three concepts in 2018 to compete for the next Earth Explorer mission. The decision was made last week to move on to the next development stage with Harmony, one of the three concepts. Harmony would provide new and important information on the Earth’s systems for scientific...
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SERVIR programme in Kenya provides EO data to help financial aid reach farmers more efficiently
Wed Mar 3 2021
A variety of environmental and man-made factors can have a detrimental effect on the yield of farmers worldwide. A programme launched in Kenya, funded by SERVIR in collaboration with NASA Harvest and the Swiss Re Foundation, uses Earth observation (EO) data to assess crop damage and prioritise the mobilisation of financial aid to farmers.
SERVIR is a joint initiative by the U.S. Agency for...
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ESA and CGI sign contract to improve wildfire risk management using EO and AI data
Fri Feb 26 2021
The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to improve its capabilities to track the effects of wildfires. For this purpose, ESA recently offered a contract to the IT and business consulting firm CGI in order to create a new mapping service for wildfires. This mapping service will blend Earth observation (EO) and Artificial intelligence (AI) data to improve wildfire risk management globally.
A wildfire...
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The State of Open Humanitarian Data 2021 report highlights the state of the humanitarian data ecosystem and identifies gaps in data availability
Wed Feb 24 2021
A new report outlines the availability of data in humanitarian settings around the world. The 2021 edition of “The State of Open Humanitarian Data”, recently published by the Centre for Humanitarian Data of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), explores the state of the humanitarian data ecosystem and identifies gaps in data availability.
Humanitarian data...
On 11 May 2021, Ms. Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA, and Mr. Vinicio Cerezo, Secretary General of the Central American Integration System (SICA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding for both institutions to work together to further their shared goals and objectives regarding the use of space science and technology for sustainable socio-economic and environmental development. The MoU...
Harmful algal blooms endanger the health of both humans and animals through poor water quality and can cause economic loss to coastal communities. Such algal blooms are composed of an excess of cyanobacteria, which becomes dangerous when subjected to certain conditions, such as extended sunlight exposure, stagnant water, and the increased presence of various nutrients from fertilizers. Under such...
In Guatemala there are two volcanoes which have been more active recently: Fuego and Pacaya. These volcanoes pose a prominent threat to the lives of the inhabitants of the highly populated surrounding areas. This threat is evidenced by the 2018 eruption of Fuego, which caused the deaths of nearly 200 people, and the recent activity of Pacaya volcano since the beginning of the year, that has...
The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) successfully concluded its 7th Planetary Defense Conference on 30 April 2021. The conference, which was carried out virtually from 26 to 30 April 2021, was hosted by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and attracted hundreds of experts from the space community. The...
Undoubtedly, the year 2020 will be remembered as the year when COVID-19 began to impact societies worldwide as a truly trans-boundary health hazard, manifesting the vulnerability of people in developed and in developing countries alike. The news about the COVID-19 pandemic blurred news related to other disasters triggered by natural, technological and biological hazards. One of those was the...
Like many countries in Latin America, Peru is exposed to a variety of natural hazards that have triggered disasters in previous decades. Disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts are coordinated by the National Civil Defense Institute (INDECI). In recent years, INDECI has benefited from the advisory support provided by Peru’s National Commission for Aerospace Research and...
In recent decades, communities in Nigeria have experienced disasters triggered by floods, droughts, landslides, coastal erosion, oil spills, and other natural and technological hazards that have eroded hard-won development gains. Taking note of advances in space technologies and other technological innovations. Since 2008, the UN-SPIDER programme of the Office for Outer Space Affairs of the...
In recent years, the frequency and severity of natural hazards has increased dramatically. This development has escalated the risk of disasters and their devastating impact on the environment and communities around the world. Earth observation (EO) data has the potential to mitigate the risks of disasters and support all phases of the disaster management cycle. The international community has...
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) partnered with NTT DATA Corporation, a leading digital business and IT services provider, to conduct research on space-borne LIDAR to improve 3D mapping. The research aims to “solve the technical challenges” and “improve the accuracy” of space-borne 3D mapping in order to support disaster management efforts globally. LIDAR refers to “a laser altimeter...
Increasing in frequency and severity, wildfires have had a devastating impact in several areas around the world in recent years. The effects of wildfires pose a particular risk to the environment and communities in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. In order to mitigate the effects of wildfires and support wildfire risk management in the region, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the...
The Arctic is warming at a faster pace than any other region on the planet. The dramatic effects that come with this increase in Arctic temperature have a detrimental impact on the global environment. Drastic sea ice loss in the Arctic, for example, has been linked to natural hazards all over the world. In order to fill the existent information gap on Arctic weather, the European Space Agency (...
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) have launched the third edition of their Space4Youth competition. Under the title Youth4Climate, this year's focus is on climate mitigation and adaptation. In order to participate, students and young professionals from any Member State of the United Nations are invited to submit an essay on...
In recent years, droughts have been impacting several regions of the world on a more frequent and severe basis. The long-lasting effects of such droughts are taking a toll on farmers and their livelihoods, forcing some of them to seek alternate sources of income through migration to cities in their countries and in other countries in extreme cases. The World Meteorological Organization identifies...
The use of multi-risk information systems is crucial in confronting the increasing risks posed by natural hazards. In some cases, risk is increasing due to inadequate land-use norms or regulations that allow for the construction of infrastructure in areas exposed to such natural hazards. In other cases, vulnerability increases due to lack of awareness or extreme poverty. The need to address...
Recent advances in the implementation of open data policies such as those that facilitate access to satellite data and products of the Copernicus programme and the incorporation of cloud-based processing platforms such as Google Earth Engine are facilitating the use of Earth Observation to address challenges posed by natural hazards. In addition, complementary efforts by international networks...
The world leading insurance and reinsurance provider Swiss Re recently partnered with the commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite operator ICEYE to improve flood modelling and support disaster response efforts around the world. A flood is a broad term that refers to “the overflow of water from a stream channel into normally dry land in the floodplain (riverine flooding), higher-than–...
Recently, two volcanoes in the Caribbean indicated increased activity: Mount Pelée on Martinique and the La Soufrière volcano on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Mount Pelée has been experiencing seismic activity and the La Soufrière volcano has been releasing gas. In light of this increased activity and the risk that a potential volcanic eruption poses to the environment and human life, a...
The European Space Agency (ESA) wants to further develop the understanding of our planet. For this purpose, ESA chose three concepts in 2018 to compete for the next Earth Explorer mission. The decision was made last week to move on to the next development stage with Harmony, one of the three concepts. Harmony would provide new and important information on the Earth’s systems for scientific...
A variety of environmental and man-made factors can have a detrimental effect on the yield of farmers worldwide. A programme launched in Kenya, funded by SERVIR in collaboration with NASA Harvest and the Swiss Re Foundation, uses Earth observation (EO) data to assess crop damage and prioritise the mobilisation of financial aid to farmers. SERVIR is a joint initiative by the U.S. Agency for...
The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to improve its capabilities to track the effects of wildfires. For this purpose, ESA recently offered a contract to the IT and business consulting firm CGI in order to create a new mapping service for wildfires. This mapping service will blend Earth observation (EO) and Artificial intelligence (AI) data to improve wildfire risk management globally. A wildfire...
A new report outlines the availability of data in humanitarian settings around the world. The 2021 edition of “The State of Open Humanitarian Data”, recently published by the Centre for Humanitarian Data of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), explores the state of the humanitarian data ecosystem and identifies gaps in data availability. Humanitarian data...
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