UN-SPIDER August 2009 Updates
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1. UN-SPIDER Promotes “SPIDER Global Thematic Partnership” in Asia
On the occasion of the Second Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Reduction which was held
last June in Geneva, UNOOSA and several partners launched the “SPIDER Global Thematic
Partnership”. This partnership is foreseen as a forum to facilitate the networking of the global
community of practitioners regarding the use of space-based information and solutions to support
disaster risk management. UN-SPIDER had the opportunity to promote this new global partnership at
the ISDR Asia Partnership Meeting which was held in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from 13
th
to 14
th
August. UNOOSA is an active member of this regional platform. During the same week the United
Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and the Government of the Republic
of Korea opened ISDR’s Education and Training Institute for Urban Risk Reduction in Incheon,
Republic of Korea as well as a new UNISDR Office, co-located with the Training Institute, which will
assist the Northeast Asia Region in carrying out disaster risk management activities.
For more information >>
UNISDR
and
UN-SPIDER
2. UN-SPIDER Expert Meeting in Central Asia
As a side-event to GISCA’09 UN-SPIDER co-organised the “UN-SPIDER Expert Meeting –
Managing Disasters Using Space-based Information in Central Asia” in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on
the 26
th
August. The meeting brought together 25 experts from both the geospatial community and the
disaster management community, drawn from international and regional organisations, government
institutions, academic institutions and representatives of the private sector. Issues put forward by the
experts were grouped into three broad areas of concern: spatial data access and use, capacity
building and networking in Central Asia, leading to relevant recommendations that should be taken
into consideration by all those that are interested in supporting the further access and use of space-
based information in Central Asia.
For more information >>
UN-SPIDER
3. UN-SPIDER follows-up on Pilot Project on Namibian SensorWeb
From 19
th
to 21
st
of August UN-SPIDER hosted a Technical Expert Meeting in Bonn, Germany, to
further develop the “Namibian SensorWeb Pilot project on integrated flood management and water-
and vector-borne disease modelling”. This meeting brought together about thirty experts, representing
the Department of Water Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture Water and Forestry (MAWF) in Namibia, the
German Aerospace Center (DLR), NASA, NOAA, Ukraine Space Research Institute (SRI), City
University of New York, Johns Hopkins University – Bloomberg School of Public Health as well as
from UN organisations such as UNU-EHS, UNISDR-PPEW and UNW-DPC. The experts also had the
opportunity to present the pilot project initiative to the Namibian Ambassador in Germany, His
Excellency Mr. Neville Gertze. The pilot project will combine high resolution satellite imagery with in-
situ data and modelling approaches in order to derive useful flood and water-borne disease
forecasting tools for local decision makers within a scientifically sound, operational transboundary
flood management system for the Southern African region.
For more information >>
UN-SPIDER
4. UN-SPIDER further strengthens its role in the Asia Pacific region
UN-SPIDER was invited recently to participate and contribute to two major meetings in the Asia
Pacific region: The first meeting was the 2
nd
Joint Project Team Meeting for Sentinel Asia Step 2 which
brought together over 100 participants from 44 organisations from 18 countries, including new
members from Central Asia and which was held in Bali, Indonesia from 15
th
to 17
th
July. Then the
following week UN-SPIDER participated in the 13
th
session of the Intergovernmental Consultative
Committee on the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development in Asia and
the Pacific which was organised by ESCAP and which was attended by participants from the region as
well as from International Organizations. The conclusions and recommendations included the need for
a regional disaster management support platform on space-based information sharing and analysis.
UN-SPIDER will be taking a leading role in the establishment and operation of this proposed platform.
For more information >>
UN-SPIDER
5. DigitalGlobe launches Crisis Event Service
DigitalGlobe is a leading global provider of commercial high-resolution earth imagery products and
services. Recently DigitalGlobe announced its Crisis Event Service, a new web service providing
timely and accurate pre- and post-event satellite imagery to aid in emergency planning, response and
recovery. The new online service is designed to provide a comprehensive picture for global crisis.
Crisis Service images will be available online within one to three days of any given event through
DigitalGlobe’s online platform.
For more information >>
DigitalGlobe
6. JAXA and DLR initiated R&D Cooperation in Satellite Disaster Monitoring
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have
signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) concerning mutual cooperation for satellite disaster monitoring on 24
August 2009. In this LOI, both parties acknowledged the necessity to promote satellite application,
especially Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, as well as related applied research, and to
pursue such activities in an international manner.
For more information >>
JAXA
7. Nigerian Space Agency signs MoU with Infoterra
A delegation from the Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)
recently signed with INFOTERRA a Memorandum of Understanding defining a roadmap for a close
cooperation over the years to come. Following two optical earth observation satellites, Nigeria is now
considering a radar mission. The MOU focuses on collaborations that will enhance NASRDA's ability
to acquire SAR imageries in real-time and more cost effective. NASRDA is a UN-SPIDER regional
support office.
For more information >>
INFOTERRA
8. PacRICS and disaster management
The Government of Tonga has commissioned a dedicated PacRICS (Pacific Rural Internet
Connectivity System) system to handle communications for the investigation and search and rescue
effort. PacRICS is the SPC/Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid) project
designed to provide affordable Internet connections to rural and remote villages using a VSAT (very
small aperture terminal) satellite system. Often in national disasters the normal communication
systems get overloaded by public enquiries, causing delays in official efforts. PacRICS is a standalone
system, completely separate from the existing national communications system and is ideal as a rapid
response communications system for disasters.
For more information
>>
SPC
Conferences and Workshops:
We maintain a Calendar of Events with upcoming Conferences, Meetings and Events relevant to the area
of space-based solutions for disaster management and emergency response. The Calendar can be viewed
at:
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=h1a93vb3rk6ud1tvrequjsfk8s%40group.calendar.google.com
AfricaGIS 2009: “Geo-spatial Information and Sustainable Development in Africa” in Kampala,
Uganda, 26-30 October 2009
The "AfricaGIS 2009" International Conference is one of the leading geospatial conferences in Africa
and provides a platform where geo-information professionals from Africa and around the world come
together to learn and interact about geo-information technology and its applications.
For more information >>
Conference website
Eurisy Workshop, 19-20 November 2009, Athens, Greece – First Announcement
"Eurisy" is announcing a workshop for local and regional authorities using satellite services to
understand, mitigate and adapt to climate change on 19-20 November 2009, Athens, Greece.
Satellites have had a unique and substantial contribution to identifying and recognising climate
change. Today, they offer unrivalled, innovative tools for climate change mitigation and adaptation on
a local level. This workshop will inform local and regional authorities and other potential users of
satellite information and services of how they can better tackle climate change by using these tools.
Good practice presentations will be the starting point of discussions about how such actors can
finance and implement these innovative tools.
For more information >>
Eurisy
Pacific Islands GIS&RS User Conference 2009, in Suva, Fiji, 1- 4 December 2009
The above conference will take place from 1 - 4 December 2009 at the University of South Pacific,
Lower Campus, Faculty of Islands and Oceans, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. UN-SPIDER
will be supporting this event and encourages all experts interested in joining the leading geospatial
conference in the Pacific region to attend and contribute.
For more information >>
PACINET
GI4DM 2010 Conference, 2-4 February 2010, Torino, Italy, Announcement and Call for Papers
Conference Theme: Remote Sensing And Geo-Information For Environmental Emergencies.
Geomatics technologies are able to support management and recovery in the aftermath of manmade
and natural disasters. However, disaster management also poses big challenges in all aspects of the
geo-information cycle, from data acquisition, processing, management and delivery. For the sixth time,
the International Symposium on Geo-information for Disaster Management (Gi4DM) will bring together
researchers, developers, data providers and users from all over the world to discuss these challenges.
For more information >>
GI4DM
Upcoming UN-SPIDER Outreach Activities:
Further information on the following planned workshops can be obtained from the outreach activities
section of the UN-SPIDER webpage:
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/unspider/workshops.html
UN-SPIDER Regional Workshop: "Space Applications for Disaster Risk Management and
Emergency Response in Latin America", in Quito, Ecuador, 29 September - 2 October 2009
Third United Nations International UN-SPIDER Bonn Workshop: "From Concepts to
Application", in Bonn, Germany, 21-23 October 2009
UN-SPIDER Regional Workshop: "Space Applications for Disaster Risk Management and
Emergency Response in Africa", in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - early 2010.
Upcoming Events Supported by UN-SPIDER
II Escuela de Primavera sobre Soluciones Espaciales para el Manejo de Desastres Naturales y
Respuestas de Emergencias (UN-SPIDER/GEOSS Spring School), Argentina, October 2009
(Organized by UN-SPIDER/GEOSS/CONAE/CRECTEALC) - Falda del Carmen, Provincia de
Córdoba, Argentina - 26 - 30 Octubre de 2009.
AfricaGIS 2009: "Geo-spatial Information and Sustainable Development in Africa" in Kampala,
Uganda, 26-30 October 2009
Pacific Islands GIS&RS User Conference 2009, in Suva, Fiji, 1- 4 December 2009
GI4DM 2010 Conference, 2-4 February 2010, Torino, Italy
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) implements the decisions of the General
Assembly and of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its two Subcommittees, the
Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and the Legal Subcommittee. The Office is responsible for
promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, and assisting developing countries
in using space science and technology. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, UNOOSA maintains a website
at
http://www.unoosa.org
.
In its resolution 61/110 of 14 December 2006 the United Nations General Assembly agreed to establish the
"United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency
Response - UN-SPIDER" as a programme within UNOOSA. UN-SPIDER focuses on the need to ensure
access to and use of space-based solutions during all phases of the disaster management cycle.