Earth Observation and GIS to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030
Starting with this quote from the UN’s official website about the Sustainable Sustainable Goals (SDGs), it is well understood that SDGs is all about how to better manage our resources for a more prosperous economic and societal future.
Governments, industry, and scientists have long recognized the critical importance of Earth observations as an information source in support of many sectors of society. Earth observations (from satellite, airborne, and in-situ sensors) provide accurate and reliable information on the state of the atmosphere, oceans, coasts, rivers, soil, crops, forests, ecosystems, natural resources, ice, snow and built infrastructure, and their change over time, are directly or indirectly necessary for all functions of government, all economic sectors and almost all day-to-day activities of society. Earth observation programmes represent the largest investment globally in relation to applications of satellites by national governments — typically through their national space agencies — recognizing their capacity to address such critical challenges as climate change, water availability, food security, natural disaster mitigation, safe and secure transport, energy and resources security, agriculture forestry and ecosystems, coasts and oceans, health issues, and national security.
Do you know that United Nations Sustainable Development goals are supported by the geospatial industry?
UN SDGs provide guidances of goals, targets and indicators that helps us grow economically and socially in a sustainable manner. Earth Observation and GIS technologies have a huge impact on both monitoring the implementation of the targets and calculating specific indicators.
By enrolling to this 100+ minutes course, you will start getting familiar with all the targets and indicator that have relevance to Earth Observation and GIS.
What will you learn?
- Learn what are the UN SDGs
- How SDGs are connected to Earth Observation and GIS
- Learn which targets and goals are associated with the geospatial technologies
- Get the big picture and get inspired on the dozens of Earth Observation and GIS applications that help to realize the UN SDGs
