SDG 14 - Life below water

SDG 14

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. Throughout history, oceans and seas have been vital conduits for trade and transportation.

Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future. However, at the current time, there is a continuous deterioration of coastal waters owing to pollution and ocean acidification is having an adversarial effect on the functioning of ecosystems and biodiversity. This is also negatively impacting small scale fisheries.

Marine protected areas need to be effectively managed and well-resourced and regulations need to be put in place to reduce overfishing, marine pollution and ocean acidification.

Facts and Figures

  •     Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface, contain 97 per cent of the Earth’s water, and represent 99 per cent of the living space on the planet by volume.
  •     Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.
  •     Globally, the market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at $3 trillion per year or about 5 per cent of global GDP.
  •     Oceans contain nearly 200,000 identified species, but actual numbers may lie in the millions.
  •     Oceans absorb about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming.
  •     Oceans serve as the world’s largest source of protein, with more than 3 billion people depending on the oceans as their primary source of protein
  •     Marine fisheries directly or indirectly employ over 200 million people.
  •     Subsidies for fishing are contributing to the rapid depletion of many fish species and are preventing efforts to save and restore global fisheries and related jobs, causing ocean fisheries to generate US$50 billion less per year than they could.
  •     Open Ocean sites show current levels of acidity have increased by 26 per cent since the start of the Industrial Revolution.
  •     Coastal waters are deteriorating due to pollution and eutrophication. Without concerted efforts, coastal eutrophication is expected to increase in 20 percent of large marine ecosystems by 2050

Space-based Technologies for SDG 14

SDG 14 aims to sustainably manage and protect water ecosystems. Satellite technology can provide valuable data on water levels and pollution. Through COPUOS, States discuss national, regional and international water-related activities. UNOOSA helps countries access satellite data for better management and protection of water resources. UNOOSA also brings together experts to discuss cooperation, capacity-building and future approaches to water resource management.
 

Learn more about the SDGs

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Interview with Prof. Emerita Kristine M. Larson

Prof. Larson’s career has been focussed on using the Global Positioning System, and more recently using GPS to measure hydrological parameters, such as water levels in lakes, rivers, and the ocean, soil water content, and the depth of snow. To innovate, she Emerita believes a willingness to be different is key. She feels strongly about bringing space technologies closer to people by communicating better the important role that space technologies play and by making measurements from satellites easier for people to access.

Utilizando tecnologías espaciales para monitorear la contaminación marina por petróleo

Oil spills are a critical form of environmental pollution that have far-reaching negative impacts. They severely degrade marine ecosystems, introducing toxic chemicals into the oceans and harming sea life. They also have significant financial impacts through the diminishment of ecotourism as well as the killing of commercially viable species. Despite these negative impacts, oil spills are notoriously difficult to track and monitor given the general lack of surveillance over the vastness of the Earth’s oceans. Space-based technologies are evolving as a tool to aid in the detection of oil spills worldwide. Two primary technologies have been optimized for oil spill monitoring: optical satellite imagery and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Optical satellite imagery functions somewhat like taking a photograph of the Earth’s surface and requires clear skies and daylight to produce imagery. SAR imagery, on the other hand, relies on microwaves to produce images, and therefore can function regardless of weather, as well as at night. The combination of these two technologies has allowed scientists an increased ability to monitor where and when oil pollution is happening, providing an eye-in-the-sky to survey marine activities. While these space-based technologies are aiding in the detection of a variety of oil spill incidents, they are particularly helpful to monitor the illegal dumping of oil and effluent from shipping vessels as ships are no longer able to dump oily bilgewater into the ocean under the veil of darkness. Unfortunately, the enforcement of environmental and marine law remains an issue and ships are rarely prosecuted. It will be important for space-based technologies to continue to evolve and provide evidence of marine pollution in the effort to provide protection for Earth’s marine ecosystems.

Space-based observation helps improving climate modelling

Climate has become a subject of global concern, especially in recent decades. Climate models are practical tools that can simulate physical processes and predict future change. However, because of the complexity of atmospheric, ocean, and land processes, scientists are faced with significantly large uncertainties in climate models. As world leaders grapple with the urgency of climate action, the role of space-based technology and data has become increasingly critical. Various observed climatic variables (e.g.

Remote sensing in managing, maintaining, and understanding coral reef ecosystems

Coral reefs provide integral services to social, economic, and ecological systems. They support more than 500 million livelihoods worldwide and account for 15% of gross domestic product in more than 20 countries. A quarter of all marine species on planet Earth, representing 28 of the 35 animal phyla, can be found in coral reefs, and novel compounds derived from these organisms provide numerous useful medicinal applications.

Space technologies' role in marine monitoring and management

Mapping and monitoring of the marine environment has been consistently reliant upon space-based technologies (Johannessen et al., 2006). Particularly tools targeting monitoring of human activity in the marine domain, marine resources such as marine protected areas and fish stocks, as well as marine environmental conditions, are extensively utilised by regulatory actors (Desaubies, 2006).

Tirer Parti des Technologies Spatiales pour Surveiller la Pollution Plastique dans les Océans

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L’océan est où la vie a commencé. Il abrite la majorité des plantes et des animaux de la Terre. Cependant, il y a actuellement un autre habitant qui met en danger toutes les espèces vivantes sous et au-dessus de l’eau, les humains inclus. Cet habitant est appelé « plastique ». Le plus grand marché du plastique est celui des emballages destinés à l’élimination immédiate (Sigogneau-Russell, 2003).

Enhancing maritime domain awareness through ship detection in satellite imagery

Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) confronts significant challenges in the maritime domain, leveraging satellite technologies that play a role in enabling extensive and consistent area mapping. In this case, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) stands out for its all-weather capability, serving as a crucial tool for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to defense systems (Ulaby and Long, 2014).

Exploring the exciting potential of hyperspectral imaging for water quality monitoring

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El rol de las tecnologías espaciales en la vigilancia y gestión del medio marino

El mapeo y la vigilancia del medio marino han dependido siempre de las tecnologías espaciales (Johannessen et al., 2006). En particular las herramientas destinadas a vigilar la actividad humana en el medio marino, los recursos marinos, como las zonas marinas protegidas y las poblaciones de peces, y las condiciones del medio marino (Desaubies, 2006). El objetivo de este artículo es ofrecer una serie de ejemplos de tecnologías espaciales que se utilizan para vigilar distintos aspectos del medio marino, ilustrando la amplia gama de aplicaciones disponibles.

The impact of space-based internet communications constellations on water

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Climate change, dam collapses and water-borne disease: devastation in Libya caused by Storm Daniel

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Mind the mapping gap between the ocean and coastal zones

Do you know that about 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, yet it remains unmapped? As NASA oceanographer Dr. Gene Feldman said,

“We have better maps of the surface of Mars and the moon than we do of the bottom of the ocean.”

But can all these vast blue portions of the universe be explored and mapped like the Mars, which is 54.6 million kilometers away from us, but have nearly 90% of its surface mapped? "Well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it?"

Monitoring River Delta Using Remote Sensing

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Using space-based technologies to monitor marine oil pollution

Oil spills are a critical form of environmental pollution that have far-reaching negative impacts. They severely degrade marine ecosystems, introducing toxic chemicals into the oceans and harming sea life. They also have significant financial impacts through the diminishment of ecotourism as well as the killing of commercially viable species. Despite these negative impacts, oil spills are notoriously difficult to track and monitor given the general lack of surveillance over the vastness of the Earth’s oceans. Space-based technologies are evolving as a tool to aid in the detection of oil spills worldwide. Two primary technologies have been optimized for oil spill monitoring: optical satellite imagery and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Optical satellite imagery functions somewhat like taking a photograph of the Earth’s surface and requires clear skies and daylight to produce imagery. SAR imagery, on the other hand, relies on microwaves to produce images, and therefore can function regardless of weather, as well as at night. The combination of these two technologies has allowed scientists an increased ability to monitor where and when oil pollution is happening, providing an eye-in-the-sky to survey marine activities. While these space-based technologies are aiding in the detection of a variety of oil spill incidents, they are particularly helpful to monitor the illegal dumping of oil and effluent from shipping vessels as ships are no longer able to dump oily bilgewater into the ocean under the veil of darkness. Unfortunately, the enforcement of environmental and marine law remains an issue and ships are rarely prosecuted. It will be important for space-based technologies to continue to evolve and provide evidence of marine pollution in the effort to provide protection for Earth’s marine ecosystems.

Leveraging space technologies to monitor plastic pollution in oceans

 

Several ongoing projects are trying to detect plastic pollution in oceans by using Space technology

The ocean is where life began. It is home to the majority of the Earth’s plants and animals. However, there is currently another habitant endangering all species living under and above water. Humans included. The habitant is called “Plastic”. Plastic’s largest market is packaging designed for immediate disposal (Sigogneau-Russell, 2003).

Interview with Padmi Ranasinghe, Doctoral student in Urban Planning and Public Policy at the University of Texas (UT) - Arlington

Padmi is currently reading for her Ph.D. focusing on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for climate change risk reduction and resilience cities. She believes NbS can reduce hydro-meteorological hazards such as floods, droughts, and landslides in the long run. It is a strategy to minimize the gaps in decarbonizing and reducing greenhouse gases and a path to Net-zero cities. NbS, are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, benefiting people and nature (IUCN & World Bank, 2022). Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR), ecosystem-based mitigation (EbM), and green infrastructure are some branches under the umbrella of NbS. NbS include conserving forests, mangroves, and wetland ecosystems, halting deforestation, increasing reforestation, climate-smart agriculture, and opening green spaces. According to her, space technology is integral to planning, monitoring, and analysis. Space technology today is so advanced that it can capture and predict changes in the water cycle, climate change variables and so forth. Remote sensing data and satellite-derived information are essential in obtaining accurate data on a specific site anywhere on the Earth's surface. Most recently, she has been involved in projects utilizing urban NbS such as the conservation of Ramsar-Colombo to mitigate urban floods and adapt to climate change. To conduct wetland inventories, space-based data and GIS techniques can be utilized to detect the presence of wetlands and/or water in wetlands. Though there can be some challenges encountered such as limited coverage of specific areas within the wetland, clouds often hiding images, and the low resolution of data making it difficult to differentiate floral species. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) can provide enhanced accuracy and consistency in measuring wetlands, as well as the presence of water in wetlands, using space technologies. Data and technologies from space contribute to watershed management, sediment measurements and many other environmental aspects.

Interview with Victor Pellet, CNES PostDoc, Paris Observatory

Describe experience relating to water and space technologies

I grew up in a country (France) where water is freely available. The drought in 2003 was considered a one-time event. I had no single lesson on climate change at school. Despite this background, I was raised aware of the links between social and environmental inequality on a global scale.

Interview with Mina Konaka, Satellite engineer at JAXA

Mina Konaka works at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as a satellite engineer and is currently working on the satellite ALOS-4, which can detect changes in groundwater on land. She attended the International Space University, participating in the project AWARE (Adapting to Water and Air Realities on Earth), in which participants aimed to provide solutions for flood and air quality risks due to climate change, using earth observation data and ground-based sensors. Mina feels strongly about the need to talk more globally about water management solutions, rather than on an individual country basis. Mina also hopes that in the future there will be more female engineers who pursue dreams of space, and that gender balance is no longer an issue.

Interview with Stephanie Tumampos, PhD Student at Chair of Remote Sensing Technology, Technical University Munich

How do your professional career and/or your personal experience relate to space technologies and water?

My interest in water is deeply rooted in my personal life. I grew up on an island in the Philippines where a lot of people depend on water as a source of livelihood. From fishing in the open sea to fish breeding, water has always been a source of income at home. Aside from this, the small community where I grew up struggled with access to running water.

Interview with Chiara Richiardi, Researcher at ENEA

How do you personally and professionally relate to water and/or space technologies?

Water and space technologies are deeply intertwined with my research focus and professional journey. My work primarily revolves around studying the impacts of climate change and human activities on ecosystems, particularly in mountainous regions like the Alps. Water is a crucial component in this context, as it plays a significant role in both vegetation dynamics and ecosystem health.

Interview with Shaima Almeer, Senior Space Data Analyst at Bahrain National Space Science Agency

Shaima Almeer is a young Bahraini lady that works as a senior space data analyst at the National Space Science Agency. At NSSA she is responsible for acquiring data from satellite images and analyzing them into meaningful information aiming to serve more than 21 governmental entities. Shaima is also committed to publishing scientific research papers, aiming to support and spread the knowledge to others. In addition, she has recently graduated from a fellowship program at Bahrain’s Prime Minister’s Office. Shaima was selected among more than 1000 individuals to spend a year working as full-time research fellow, benefiting from advanced training in writing skills, research methods and policy analysis. The fellowship forms a core pillar of HRH the CP and PM initiative to improve national skills and support the Kingdom’s growing cadre of young government professionals. Part of the fellowship program is to work as a supervisor at the COVID-19 War Room. Shaima has obtained her bachelor’s degree in the field of Information and Communication Technology from Bahrain Polytechnic and is currently pursuing her Msc. degree in Management Information System from the University College of Bahrain. Prior to obtaining her bachelor’s degree, Shaima was titled as the first robotics programmer in the Kingdom of Bahrain and also won the title “Pioneering Women in Technology”. She has recently also won the “Women Innovator of the Year 2023 Award” in New Dehli.

Interview with Harriette Okal, Associate Scientist, Stockholm Environment Institute

How do you professionally relate to water and/or space technologies?

As a hydrologist, I’ve always been fascinated by the potential of space technologies in transforming water resource management. My work integrates satellite-based Earth Observation (EO) data with hydrological modelling, particularly for drought and flood monitoring, and water availability assessments in regions with scarce ground data. EO technologies allow me to capture real-time, high-resolution data, critical for climate resilience, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Interview with Aziza Baubekova, PhD., Postdoctoral Researcher at the Water, Energy and Environment Research Unit at the University of Oulu, Finland

Dr. Aziza Baubekova's research tackles critical environmental and water-related challenges in water-scarce regions using innovative approaches like remote sensing and machine learning. Her work not only advances scientific knowledge but also offers practical and policy solutions for developing countries. By applying quantifiable methods, her research provides actionable tools for integrated water resources and ecosystem management, addressing issues related to hydrologic conditions and human impact. Despite earning all her degrees in Europe, Dr. Baubekova maintains a deep connection to Central Asia, focusing her research on the region's unique environmental challenges. As a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Water, Energy, and Environmental Engineering Research Unit at the University of Oulu, she contributes significantly to projects like TU-NEXUS, which aims to develop decision-making tools for transboundary river management in Central Asia. Her PhD, completed with distinction in 2023, covers topics such as hydrologic changes, climate change impacts, and coastal ecosystem threats. Beyond her academic work, Dr. Baubekova actively fosters partnerships between Finland and Central Asian institutions, supporting knowledge transfer and technology exchange. As Vice Chair of Young Water Professionals Finland, she promotes professional development, knowledge sharing, and networking opportunities for young water experts.

Interview with Prof. Emerita Kristine M. Larson

Prof. Larson’s career has been focussed on using the Global Positioning System, and more recently using GPS to measure hydrological parameters, such as water levels in lakes, rivers, and the ocean, soil water content, and the depth of snow. To innovate, she Emerita believes a willingness to be different is key. She feels strongly about bringing space technologies closer to people by communicating better the important role that space technologies play and by making measurements from satellites easier for people to access.

Call: CASSINI Maritime Prize Contest - EU Space for Marine Ecosystems Protection

Of the 300 million tons of plastic produced every year, an estimated 26 million eventually ends up in the ocean. As a result, some estimates suggest there are now 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans and seas. Even more concerning is the fact that this number is expected to increase, with National Geographic predicting that the annual amount of plastic flowing into the oceans will triple by 2040. 

Building a Caribbean Wide Satellite Oil Spill Monitoring Program

In recent years, the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR) has faced challenges from oil spills. Despite these known risks, the WCR lacks an operational oil spill surveillance service. Oil spills, as in the case of the 2019 Brazilian incident, are often detected only after the oil has reached environmentally sensitive coastal areas, with surveillance requests sent piecemeal to government agencies in the United States and Europe. 

Interview with Mina Konaka, Satellite engineer at JAXA

Mina Konaka works at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as a satellite engineer and is currently working on the satellite ALOS-4, which can detect changes in groundwater on land. She attended the International Space University, participating in the project AWARE (Adapting to Water and Air Realities on Earth), in which participants aimed to provide solutions for flood and air quality risks due to climate change, using earth observation data and ground-based sensors. Mina feels strongly about the need to talk more globally about water management solutions, rather than on an individual country basis. Mina also hopes that in the future there will be more female engineers who pursue dreams of space, and that gender balance is no longer an issue.

Interview with Stephanie Tumampos, PhD Student at Chair of Remote Sensing Technology, Technical University Munich

How do your professional career and/or your personal experience relate to space technologies and water?

My interest in water is deeply rooted in my personal life. I grew up on an island in the Philippines where a lot of people depend on water as a source of livelihood. From fishing in the open sea to fish breeding, water has always been a source of income at home. Aside from this, the small community where I grew up struggled with access to running water.

Interview with Chiara Richiardi, Researcher at ENEA

How do you personally and professionally relate to water and/or space technologies?

Water and space technologies are deeply intertwined with my research focus and professional journey. My work primarily revolves around studying the impacts of climate change and human activities on ecosystems, particularly in mountainous regions like the Alps. Water is a crucial component in this context, as it plays a significant role in both vegetation dynamics and ecosystem health.

Interview with Shaima Almeer, Senior Space Data Analyst at Bahrain National Space Science Agency

Shaima Almeer is a young Bahraini lady that works as a senior space data analyst at the National Space Science Agency. At NSSA she is responsible for acquiring data from satellite images and analyzing them into meaningful information aiming to serve more than 21 governmental entities. Shaima is also committed to publishing scientific research papers, aiming to support and spread the knowledge to others. In addition, she has recently graduated from a fellowship program at Bahrain’s Prime Minister’s Office. Shaima was selected among more than 1000 individuals to spend a year working as full-time research fellow, benefiting from advanced training in writing skills, research methods and policy analysis. The fellowship forms a core pillar of HRH the CP and PM initiative to improve national skills and support the Kingdom’s growing cadre of young government professionals. Part of the fellowship program is to work as a supervisor at the COVID-19 War Room. Shaima has obtained her bachelor’s degree in the field of Information and Communication Technology from Bahrain Polytechnic and is currently pursuing her Msc. degree in Management Information System from the University College of Bahrain. Prior to obtaining her bachelor’s degree, Shaima was titled as the first robotics programmer in the Kingdom of Bahrain and also won the title “Pioneering Women in Technology”. She has recently also won the “Women Innovator of the Year 2023 Award” in New Dehli.

Interview with Harriette Okal, Associate Scientist, Stockholm Environment Institute

How do you professionally relate to water and/or space technologies?

As a hydrologist, I’ve always been fascinated by the potential of space technologies in transforming water resource management. My work integrates satellite-based Earth Observation (EO) data with hydrological modelling, particularly for drought and flood monitoring, and water availability assessments in regions with scarce ground data. EO technologies allow me to capture real-time, high-resolution data, critical for climate resilience, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Interview with Aziza Baubekova, PhD., Postdoctoral Researcher at the Water, Energy and Environment Research Unit at the University of Oulu, Finland

Dr. Aziza Baubekova's research tackles critical environmental and water-related challenges in water-scarce regions using innovative approaches like remote sensing and machine learning. Her work not only advances scientific knowledge but also offers practical and policy solutions for developing countries. By applying quantifiable methods, her research provides actionable tools for integrated water resources and ecosystem management, addressing issues related to hydrologic conditions and human impact. Despite earning all her degrees in Europe, Dr. Baubekova maintains a deep connection to Central Asia, focusing her research on the region's unique environmental challenges. As a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Water, Energy, and Environmental Engineering Research Unit at the University of Oulu, she contributes significantly to projects like TU-NEXUS, which aims to develop decision-making tools for transboundary river management in Central Asia. Her PhD, completed with distinction in 2023, covers topics such as hydrologic changes, climate change impacts, and coastal ecosystem threats. Beyond her academic work, Dr. Baubekova actively fosters partnerships between Finland and Central Asian institutions, supporting knowledge transfer and technology exchange. As Vice Chair of Young Water Professionals Finland, she promotes professional development, knowledge sharing, and networking opportunities for young water experts.

Interview with Padmi Ranasinghe, Doctoral student in Urban Planning and Public Policy at the University of Texas (UT) - Arlington

Padmi is currently reading for her Ph.D. focusing on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for climate change risk reduction and resilience cities. She believes NbS can reduce hydro-meteorological hazards such as floods, droughts, and landslides in the long run. It is a strategy to minimize the gaps in decarbonizing and reducing greenhouse gases and a path to Net-zero cities. NbS, are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, benefiting people and nature (IUCN & World Bank, 2022). Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR), ecosystem-based mitigation (EbM), and green infrastructure are some branches under the umbrella of NbS. NbS include conserving forests, mangroves, and wetland ecosystems, halting deforestation, increasing reforestation, climate-smart agriculture, and opening green spaces. According to her, space technology is integral to planning, monitoring, and analysis. Space technology today is so advanced that it can capture and predict changes in the water cycle, climate change variables and so forth. Remote sensing data and satellite-derived information are essential in obtaining accurate data on a specific site anywhere on the Earth's surface. Most recently, she has been involved in projects utilizing urban NbS such as the conservation of Ramsar-Colombo to mitigate urban floods and adapt to climate change. To conduct wetland inventories, space-based data and GIS techniques can be utilized to detect the presence of wetlands and/or water in wetlands. Though there can be some challenges encountered such as limited coverage of specific areas within the wetland, clouds often hiding images, and the low resolution of data making it difficult to differentiate floral species. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) can provide enhanced accuracy and consistency in measuring wetlands, as well as the presence of water in wetlands, using space technologies. Data and technologies from space contribute to watershed management, sediment measurements and many other environmental aspects.

Interview with Victor Pellet, CNES PostDoc, Paris Observatory

Describe experience relating to water and space technologies

I grew up in a country (France) where water is freely available. The drought in 2003 was considered a one-time event. I had no single lesson on climate change at school. Despite this background, I was raised aware of the links between social and environmental inequality on a global scale.

Register for the 1st Space4Water Stakeholder Meeting - End or registration: 30 September

Space4Water stakeholders, featured young professionals and professionals, join us in Vienna at the 1st Space4Water Stakeholder Meeting.

Dates and location

The workshop will take place on 27-28 October 2022 at the Vienna International Centre, with an opportunity to host it online, should COVID prevent travels in October.

Registration

To be considered for participation Space4Water stakeholders and featured professionals can register here.

Register for the 2nd Space4Water Stakeholder Meeting - End of registration: 30 April

organised by UNOOSA in partnership with the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW)
11-12 May 2023, Online
 
This event is restricted to Space4Water stakeholders, featured professionals, young professionals and representatives of Indigenous communities featured on the portal.

Registration for speakers submitting technical presentations closes on 15 April 2023.
Registration for all other participants closes on 30 April 2023.

Call for Nominations GEO AquaWatch Management Team

DEADLINE December 6th!

AquaWatch, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) water quality initiative is developing and building the global capacity and utility of EO-derived water quality data, products and information to support effective monitoring, management and decision making. GEO AquaWatch seeks nominations of individuals to serve on our Management Team for the 2023-2026 triennium. Early Career  Scientists are encouraged to apply.  These roles are unpaid and voluntary.  

Capacity Building and Training Material

ARSET - Remote Sensing of Coastal Ecosystems

Overview:

Coastal and marine ecosystems serve key roles for carbon storage, nutrients and materials cycling, as well as reservoirs of biodiversity. They also provide ecosystems services such as sustenance for millions of people, coastal protection against wave action, and recreational activities. Remote sensing of coastal and marine ecosystems is particularly challenging. Up to 90% of the signal received by the sensors in orbit comes from the atmosphere.

ARSET - Introduction to Remote Sensing of Harmful Algal Blooms

Obvious:

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) can have a negative impact on the ecosystem and human health. Satellite remote sensing is able to collect data frequently and over a large area to identify impaired water quality from HABs. This data can inform decision-makers on where best to put their resources for taking water samples, determine what toxins are in the water, whether they need to change or move drinking water intakes, and whether a fishery needs to be closed. Remote sensing data enables individuals and organizations to have more flexible plans for water sampling.

Monitoring The Oceans From Space

The Copernicus/EUMETSAT Monitoring The Oceans From Space MOOC was first released in 2016 on the FutureLearn MOOC platform as a complete and highly innovative course which included videos, interactive exercises, tests, links, data apps and further reading. The course was run a number of times and introduced diverse new audiences to satellite Earth observation data.

Copernicus Marine Data Stream for Operational Services - Ocean Applications

Overview

This is a free virtual (online only) workshop held in English. The majority of the course is composed of self-paced learning with educational resources provided through an online learning platform called Moodle. However, instructors will also be running live training sessions in the 2nd and 3rd weeks, where participants have the opportunity to join two-hour live ‘espresso’ training sessions covering SNAP and python demos, data access, tailored workflows, and question and answer sessions for 1:1 interaction.

ARSET - Integrating Remote Sensing into a Water Quality Monitoring Program

Overview:

These training webinars will focus on integrating NASA Earth observations into water quality monitoring decision making processes. This will include a brief overview of data products used for water quality monitoring, an overview of aquatic remote sensing-specific criteria, methods and best practices, obtaining NASA Earth observation data for water quality monitoring, and practical skill building in image processing for water quality monitoring of coastal and larger inland water bodies. 

ARSET - Introduction to Remote Sensing for Coastal and Ocean Applications

Overview:

In this introductory webinar, participants will be provided with an overview of remote sensing for coastal and ocean applications. This will include a background in aquatic remote sensing, data access and tools for processing and analysing imagery, and examples and live demonstrations of applied science tools that have been developed for NASA and partner organizations. This course will review data products from MODIS, VIIRS, HICO, and other sensors commonly used for ocean applications.

Data Recipes & Short Tutorials

Overview

Data recipes are video tutorials that include step-by-step instructions to help users learn how to discover, access, subset, visualize and use Earth science data, information, tools and services. These recipes cover many different data products across the Earth science disciplines and different processing languages/software.
 

Event

Local Perspectives Case Studies

Project / Mission / Initiative / Community Portal

Mekong Dam Monitor

The Mekong Dam Monitor is an online platform which uses remote sensing, satellite imagery, and GIS analysis to provide near-real time reporting and data downloads across numerous previously unreported indicators in the Mekong Basin. The platform is freely available for public use on the Mekong Water Data Initiative website and all research inputs are public-access resources.

e-shape

e-shape is a unique initiative that brings together decades of public investment in Earth Observation and in cloud capabilities into services for the decision-makers, the citizens, the industry and the researchers. It allows Europe to position itself as global force in Earth observation through leveraging Copernicus, making use of existing European capacities and improving user uptake of the data from GEO assets.  EuroGEO, as Europe's contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), aims at bringing together Earth Observation resources in Europe.

Oil Spill Detection System in the Arabian Gulf Region: An Azure Machine-Learning Approach

Locating oil spills is a crucial portion of an effective marine contamination administration. In this project, we address the issue of oil spillage location exposure within the Arabian Gulf region, by leveraging a Machine-Learning (ML) workflow on a cloud-based computing platform: Microsoft Azure Machine-Learning Service (Custom Vision). Our workflow comprises a virtual machine, a database, and four modules (an Information Collection Module, a Discovery Show, an Application Module, and a Choice Module).

MarineAware

MarineAware is a modelling and visualisation platform for identifying and responding to oil spills at sea. It was developed by Riskaware for the Earth and Sea Observation System (EASOS) project as part of the UK Space’s Agency’s International Partnership Programme (IPP). Since it's initial development for the EASOS project, MarineAware and its modelling output have been used by the UK, US and Malaysian governments, as well as by commercial response and salvage companies in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Stakeholder

The United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS)

The United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS) is a research and training institute of the United Nations University. UNU is a global network of institutes and programs engaged in research and capacity development to support the universal goals of the UN. It brings together leading scholars from around the world with a view to generate strong and innovative knowledge on how to tackle pressing global problems. UNU-CRIS focuses on the study of processes of global cooperation and regional integration and their implications.

Remote Sensing, GIS and Climatic Research Lab, University of the Punjab

The emerging demand of GIS and Space Applications for Climate Change studies for the socio-economic development of Pakistan along with Government of Pakistan Vision 2025, Space Vision 2047 of National Space Agency of Pakistan, and achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) impelled the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) to establish Remote Sensing, GIS and Climatic Research Lab (RSGCRL) at University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.

Publication

Space-based Solution

Addressed challenge(s)

Potential consequences due to the melting Athabasca glacier, Canada

Collaborating actors (stakeholders, professionals, young professionals or Indigenous voices)
Suggested solution

Assessment of the challenge

  • Need more data about the location of the community and their usage of water
  • Split the challenge into a “glacier” and a down-stream challenge
  • No up-to-date weather data available since 2011
  • Discharge and temperature, rainfall and snow data available
  • Digital elevation surface and terrain model available

Outline steps to a solution & status

  1. Inventory of the snow cover and watershed area (completed)
  2. Build a regression model using historical data to assess the relationship between snow melt, temperature and discharge (to do)
  3. HEC-RAS for flood modelling (to do)
  4. Use climate change projections to predict future discharge and flood extents (to do)
  5. Impact assessment: downstream impact analysis of hydro-power and agriculture in case needed (to do)

Requirements

Software

Data

Physical

  • Weather station - if more detailed data are needed by the community
  • Snow monitoring (snow depth sensor)
Relevant publications
Related space-based solutions
Keywords (for the solution)
Climate Zone (addressed by the solution)
Habitat (addressed by the solution)
Region/Country (the solution was designed for, if any)
Relevant SDGs