Ensure access to water and sanitation for all

Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in. There is sufficient fresh water on the planet to achieve this. But due to bad economics or poor infrastructure, every year millions of people, most of them children, die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene.

Water scarcity, poor water quality and inadequate sanitation negatively impact food security, livelihood choices and educational opportunities for poor families across the world. Drought afflicts some of the world’s poorest countries, worsening hunger and malnutrition.

By 2050, at least one in four people is likely to live in a country affected by chronic or recurring shortages of fresh water.

Facts and Figures

2.6 billion people have gained access to improved drinking water sources since 1990, but 663 million people are still without

At least 1.8 billion people globally use a source of drinking water that is fecally contaminated

Between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of the global population using an improved drinking water source has increased from 76 per cent to 91 per cent

But water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of the global population and is projected to rise. Over 1.7 billion people are currently living in river basins where water use exceeds recharge

2.4 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services, such as toilets or latrines

More than 80 per cent of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or sea without any pollution removal

Each day,nearly 1,000 children die due to preventable water and sanitation-related diarrhoeal diseases

Hydropower is the most important and widely-used renewable source of energy and as of 2011, represented 16 per cent of total electricity production worldwide

Approximately 70 per cent of all water abstracted from rivers, lakes and aquifers is used for irrigation

Floods and other water-related disasters account for 70 per cent of all deaths related to natural disasters

Space-based technologies for SDG 6

Water conservation and management are among the most critical issues facing humankind.Space technology can help analyse global water cycles, map water courses, and monitor and mitigate the effects of floods and droughts. Since 2008, UNOOSA, together with the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water, organizes conferences on the use of space technology for water management and this web portal is among the results of this cooperation.

Moreover, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is one of the Regional Support Offices of UN-SPIDER. Read more here.

SDG 6 Targets

Graphic displaying access to safe and affordable drinking water

Graphic displaying the end of open defecation and the provision of adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene

Graphic displaying the improvement of water quality, wastewater treatment and safe reuse

Graphic displaying the increase in water-use efficiency and the access to freshwater supplies

Graphic displaying the implementation of integrated water resource management

Graphic displaying the protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems

Graphic displaying the expansion of water and sanitation support to developing countries

Graphic displaying the support and strengthening of local communities in improving water and sanitation management

Learn more about the SDGs

Sources

United Nations (2018). https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/

Please describe how your professional (and/or personal) experience relates to space technologies and their applications to water resources management.

I am an expert in hydroinformatics, mainly involved in research projects and research supervision of MSc and PhD students. My research focusses on physically based models for inland waters (rivers and lakes). One of the major fields where modelling is used in water resources is flooding. In order to have adequate representation of floods, most models require large amounts of data, both for model building and model usage.

Interview with Basuti Gerty Bolo

Basuti Gerty Bolo dreamt of space science and of becoming an astronaut when she was only 8 years old. She then wanted to be a pilot, before studying space applications and space and atmospheric science.  Her curiosity for space science was sparked by an interest in knowing more about unexplained mysteries of things happening in space, such as the cause of some plane crashes. Basuti works exceptionally hard to disseminate space knowledge. She is an Endowed Chair for Educational Technologies at Africa University in Zimbabwe, a UNOOSA Space for Women Network mentor, and is starting a space for women and girls network called Space4Women_AfricaDreamers to spread space awareness and promote gender equality.

Interview with Egline Tauya, Head of the Environment and Water Institute at SARDC

Photo of Egline Tauya handing over the Zambezi Atlas to a Member State

Egline Tauya has focussed her career on natural resource management, after growing up in a rural area and learning to value such resources from a young age. Her work has been based in Africa and has included the use space technologies to map flood risks and vulnerable areas around the Zambezi and Limpopo River basins. Egline develops Environmental Outlooks as part of her work, which are reports that provide an integrated assessment of the state and trends of key environmental resources, such as freshwater, forest, and wildlife. Egline strongly believes in the integration of indigenous knowledges into water resource management and the crucial, but currently limited use of remote sensing in groundwater monitoring.

Interview with Prof. Hesham El-Askary

Prof. Hesham El-Askary works at Chapman University in the Earth Systems Science Data Solutions (ESsDs) lab. Here, he supervises students on the use of satellite earth observations for topics including agriculture, water resources, air quality and climate action, and makes use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Prof. El-Askary is researching natural and anthropogenic pollution’s influence on the environment and is particularly interested in the concept of “glocal” impact—how what’s happening globally in terms of climate affects us locally. He believes that one of the biggest challenges in implementing sustainable water management is the lack of data to monitor progress, and advocates for space technologies to mitigates this shortage.  

Interview with Prof. Rita Colwell

Prof. Rita Colwell’s career has been dedicated to providing safe water to rural communities, with a focus on cholera, after studying marine microbiology. Through her work, she and her team developed a model that employs satellite sensing to monitor the environmental factors associated with cholera. Prof. Colwell is also Director of the National Science Foundation and is a proponent of an educated society and increasing the number of women and minorities in STEM. For her, the most exciting aspect of her current work is assisting countries such as Yemen in predicting the risk of cholera outbreaks, however she believes one challenge that remains is the poor understanding of how effective the use of satellite sensos are for predicting the risk of such water borne diseases.

Interview with Assoc. Prof. Susanne Schmeier

Prof. Susanne Scheier’s interest in water diplomacy, conflict and cooperation came from a long passion for water and the environment due to a love of the outdoors and being close to rivers and mountains as a teenager. She now uses her passion in her work, identifying and responding to challenges around shared water resources. She uses space technologies in her work with the Water, Peace and Security (WSP) partnership to identify hotspots of potential water-related conflicts early on and to raise political awareness with policy-makers.

Interview with Dr Khalid Mahmood, Assistant Professor at the University of the Punjab

Could you describe your professional career and/or personal experiences related to space technology and water? Where does your interest in those sectors come from?

I started my research career in 2013, with research interests revolving around various environmental concerns that were deeply rooted in water related issues of Pakistan. Having an educational background in Space Science, it was quite intuitive to possess understanding of the very high potential of applicability of Geospatial technologies in the water sector.

Interview with Dr. Pietro Campana

Dr. Pietro Campana studied environmental engineering with a focus on fluid dynamics, hydrology, and water resource management, before undertaking a PhD on solar irrigation systems. He is working on the water-food-energy nexus and is currently evaluating the first agrivoltaic system (a photovoltaic system that allows the combination of both electricity production and crop production on the same land to increase the land use efficiency) in Sweden. He constantly strives to work on something that can make a difference to people’s lives and finds developing tools and services that can solve water issues very exciting. He believes that to address the nexus challenges, we need novel technologies and more research and development funding.

Interview with Simonetta di Pippo

Photo of Simonetta Di Pippo in front of the UNOOSA exhibition

Simonetta di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA, has experience in the space sector for around 40 years. She has been involved in some very instrumental missions, from those which helped to discover water on Mars, to landing on and exploring a comet, to those that helped sustain human life on the ISS. Her aspiration in life is to have a profession that allows her to work and learn at the same time, with her current career affording her this dream. Curiosity and diversity are both crucial in her opinion for innovation and it is her personal and professional goal to encourage more women to pursue STEM education and careers.

Interview with Prof. Emerita Kristine M. Larson

Dr. Kristine M. Larson in front of her favorite GPS site (P041) near Boulder, Colorado. The gray object next to Dr. Larson is a GPS receiver antenna. Photograph by Glenn Asakawa, University of Colorado. Dr. Kristine M. Larson, Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO Research interests: Plate tectonics and geodesy, with work developing new ways of using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to study Earth and the water cycle. Research highlights: For many, GPS is a

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.

Interview with Mr Stuart Crane, Programme Management Officer at UN Environment

Mr Stuart Crane, has been program coordinator at the United Nations Environment Program and its Center for Water and Environment since 2017. Mr Crane has experience in international intergovernmental organizations since 2009 and dedicated large parts of his career to working on environmental issues such as energy, climate change and water. His professional background is in Environmental Quality and resource management, and he received his post graduate degree in International Development. On behalf of UNEP, he coordinates a global SDG 6 fresh water program that supports 193 countries with progressing towards SDG. 6 targets on improving the water governance, ecosystem management and reducing freshwater pollution.

Real-time Drought Monitoring from Climate Hazards group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS)

Different parts of world are experiencing extreme hydrological hazards such as droughts, flooding and other related events. Droughts are associated with absence of rainfall occurrence over an extended period. According to the United Nations (2022), the frequency and intensity of drought events in the last two decades has increased by 29%. These figures are expected to increase further in the coming years due to climate change (Gunathilake et al., 2020).

The importance of space technology in quantifying freshwater availability globally

View from a kayak on Lake 239 at IISD Experimental Lakes Area. Photo: IISD Experimental Lakes Area

Today, society is facing a multitude of resource scarcities. While rare-Earth minerals and fossil fuel depletion are some of the most-cited issues in this respect, we risk a more imminent and destructive fate: a global freshwater crisis. Our societal underestimation of this problem has amplified our precarious relationship with water and has placed many people’s livelihoods at risk.

The advantages of applying space-based technology in monitoring and controlling water hyacinth in aquatic ecosystems

Water hyacinth is a well-known plant that has invaded many aquatic ecosystems around the globe. The fast growing nature of the weed makes it challenging to contain. The weeds’ presence in aquatic bodies results in decreased oxygen and nutrient levels, which threatens aquatic life as well as the productivity and functionality of the whole aquatic ecosystem. This not only causes ecological disturbances but evidently socio-economic challenges arise as well as the weed can be detrimental to health as well as economic activities in many riparian communities worldwide. The use of space-based technology together with modern technologies is of great significance in capturing the weed and identifying its spatial and temporal distribution even in hard to reach places. This helps scientists better understand the weed and how infestation occurs which enables better management and control of the weed.

Exploring the exciting potential of hyperspectral imaging for water quality monitoring

Photo of The HICO and RAIDS Experiment Payload orbiting Earth (Image courtesy of NASA)

Harmful Algal Blooms occur when toxin-producing algae experience excessive growth within bodies of water. These blooms have the potential to cause detrimental effects on both aquatic and human health and can sometimes even cause death, depending on the type of algae involved (NIEHS, 2021). Thanks to the use of space-based remote sensing technology to monitor water quality conditions in coastal areas and drinking water reservoirs, nations are becoming more aware of the quality of their water.

Leveraging space technologies to monitor plastic pollution in oceans

Figure 1: “Dolphin plastic bag at Fernando de Noronha”, Source: CC by Jedimentat44

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).

Water Quality Indicators – an Overview

Clean drinking water is a precious resource. It is the basis of our daily life and decides like no other substance about our health and well-being. It is therefore important to ensure that the water for everyday use meets the highest quality criteria. But what is meant by the term water quality and how can water quality be measured and compared? This question will be addressed and explained in more detail in the following sections.

Space Technology: A Tool for Epidemiology

Children fetching water. Photo: UNICEF Yemen, 2019

Epidemiological mapping has been used for centuries. To give an example, John Snow, the father of epidemiology, created a map to determine the cause of the 1845 cholera outbreak in London, United Kingdom. The mapping allowed him to discover contaminated water as the source of the outbreak.

Mapping and Monitoring Irrigated Agriculture from Space

Centre PivotsCammalleri, C, M C Anderson, F Gao, C R Hain, and W P Kustas. 2014. “Mapping Daily Evapotranspiration at Field Scales over Rainfed and Irrigated Agricultural Areas Using Remote Sensing Data Fusion.” Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 186: 1–11. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2013.11.001. D’Urso, Guido. 2001. Simulation and Management of On-Demand Irrigation Systems: A Combined Agrohydrological and Remote Sensing Approach. Wageningen: WU thesis 2961 Proefschrift Wageningen.

Irrigation illustrates a major dilemma of agriculture: On the one hand, a growing world population demands more food and biomass (for example for energy production). On the other hand, natural resources such as water are only available in limited quantities and excessive use often leads to the degradation of ecosystems, which in turn has adverse effects on agricultural production and local livelihoods.

Space for Communities: Space-based evidence to support community rights to water

Satellite imagery can be used to identify and monitor environmental and social impacts, and help solve human problems around the world. Despite rapid advancements in space-based technologies, not enough people have access to satellite data and all the insights it offers. Satellite imagery provides an objective way of verifying or validating the testimony of communities who are being impacted by social or environmental harms.

The water cycle from space: the central role of satellite-informed models in corporate water management

Water in the atmosphere, in the soil, in rivers and oceans is in continuous exchange via the global water cycle. This is commonly thought to be the circular movement of water that evaporates from the Earth's surface, rises on warm updrafts into the atmosphere, and condenses into clouds. It is transported by the wind as water vapour, and eventually falls back to the Earth’s surface as rain or snow.

Use of space-based technology to search for alternate sources of water in Tharparkar

2009 World Water Day: Effects of Water Scarcity. UN Photo/Martine Perret

In Pakistan’s southern province, Sindh, lies the world’s only fertile desert in the world. The Tharparkar Desert stretches till the southeastern parts of Punjab, joining the Cholistan Desert. Tharparkar District is the largest of 29 districts in Sindh. According to Integrated Water Resource Management Practices to Alleviate Poverty – A Model of Desert Development in Tharparkar, Pakistan, the Thar is, people of Thar, have their livelihoods dependent on 'rainfall and livestock rearing, which is critical to household food security.'

Monitoring Precipitation from Space

Global Precipitation Measurements Constellations

In recent years, with the rapid development of satellite-based Earth observation technologies, more and more quasi-global satellite products observe the Earth.

Women, water and space: The first geospatial rally for women in rural aqueducts

Can you imagine a group of young women empowering other women using geospatial technology? From July 10 to 13 July 2019 in the First Geospatial Rally for Women in Rural Aqueducts took place, where 30 women from very different contexts met with the same goal, to build an empowering space, in the Nicoya Campus (north of Costa Rica) of the University of Costa Rica (UCR). This was done with the intention to learn from each other.

Water management in local communities led by women

Women sitting on desk in front of screen holding a controller

When we think about geospatial technology, many of us imagine satellites for Earth observation and navigation, drones, and complex sensors used to collect information from the terrestrial surface. We also believe that most of the people capable of developing applications using geospatial data should hold a science-related Master or Ph.D. degree. The previous statement could not be further from the truth. Advances in technology have made access to geospatial technology possible for everybody.

Earth observation data cubes for water resources management

Data has become one of the most valuable resources of the 21st century. Indeed, data can be considered the most important input when it comes to make informed decisions. The recent global pandemic crisis highlighted the vital role of data for reporting accurate case numbers and outbreaks, identifying the most vulnerable demographics, and understanding the most effective vaccines, to mention few. Data also plays a key role when it comes to sustainability.

Indigenous women’s practices in mapping water locations and the role of indigenous groups in shaping earth observation applications

In many communities around the world, water is a constant chore. The short supply and limited access to running water requires people to move places looking for resources, collecting them and bringing it home in gallons, buckets and large pans. And in many communities around Africa, women take this responsibility such as in the Samburu tribe in Kenya. For women of this tribe, this chore is a daily routine.

Global Precipitation Mission: Improved, accurate and timely global precipitation information

Continuous and reliable global precipitation information is crucial for myriad of weather, climate and hydrological applications. The importance of precipitation in the form of rain, hail, sleet, snow etc. is known to science and clear to a layman. However, it’s quite tricky to measure past precipitation trends or predicting accurate future forecasts. There are three main categories of precipitation data sets available: ground based, satellite-based and blended products of ground and space data (Climate Data Guide, 2014).

Using space-based technologies to predict mosquito-borne disease outbreaks

Mosquitos are often cited as one of the deadliest animals in the world, causing up to one million deaths per year (WHO, 2020; CDC, 2021). They can carry and transmit a variety of diseases, including malaria, West Nile virus, dengue fever, and Zika virus; transmitting illness across the globe (Figure 1). To help decrease the burden of disease resulting from mosquitos, researchers are utilising satellite data and remote sensing models to better predict where mosquito breeding grounds may occur in the future.

Hydro-diplomacy: The role of space-derived data in advancing water security

Tarbela Dam, Pakistan – part of the Indus Basin Project that resulted from the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan. Source: NASA

Water scarcity is one of the greatest threats faced by humanity of our time – in 2019, more than two billion people experience high water stress (UN-Water 2019) and approximately four billion people suffer from severe water scarcity for at least one month per year (Mekonnen and Hoekstra 2016). This worsening problem increases the risk of international conflict over water resources breaking out, given that there are over 270 transboundary river basins, and three-quarters of UN Member States share at least one river or lake basin with a neighbour (UN News 2017).

Space technologies in the detection, monitoring and management of groundwater

Global groundwater supplies

Groundwater accounts for 30% of Earth’s freshwater resources (Shiklomanov 1993) (Figure 1) and is estimated to globally provide 36% of potable water, 42% of irrigation water, and 24% of industrial water – indicating its significant value (Global Environment Facility 2021). Groundwater affords a host of benefits, from providing better protection against drought and microbiological contamination than surface waters, to being generally low cost and accessible to many users.

Sanitation: An emerging application for the space sector

State of the world’s sanitation

Sanitation: the often overlooked component of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) needs to be brought to the forefront of our attention.

United Nations/Ghana/PSIPW - 5th International conference on the use of space technology for water resources management

From 10 to 13 May 2022, the United Nations Officer for Outer Space Affairs organized the 5th International conference on the use of space technology for water resources management. The conference was hosted in a hybrid format in Accra, Ghana, by the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani on behalf of the Government of Ghana. The event was attended by several senior government representatives of the host country including Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, the Honorary Minister of Education Dr.

Harmful algal blooms: Scientists use space technology to combat this aquatic menace

We can now view algal blooms from space – it is no secret that they are plaguing our plant.

Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science data for water resources management

The provision of water resources is one of the most fundamental ecosystem services . An acute scarcity of water data in both, the spatial and temporal domains in many regions prompts the urgency to assess risks related to water such as water quality decline, floods and droughts. Remote sensing does provide us with relevant data for water resources monitoring, but this data still needs to be validated with in-situ observations and measurements.

Spin-off technologies for water

Have you ever considered how technological innovations from the space industry can benefit us here on Earth? You might be surprised to hear that non-space applications from space programmes are extensive.

Wetlands conservation: How satellite observation supports sustainable wetland management

Pelicans in the Danube Delta, Photo by Florin Tomozei.

On 2 February 2020, we celebrate World Wetlands Day to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet. This year’s edition highlights the connection between water, wetlands, and life.

A hidden secret that becomes water: Monitoring Patagonian Glacier Retreat

15 km2 glacier retreat in the last 35 years visualized on map.

It was not long ago, in 1916, that the explorer Padre De Agostini surveyed part of the topography of the Escondidos glaciers (“hidden glaciers”, in English) in Patagonia (De Agostini, 1949). Today, space technology such as NASA’s ICESat Missions and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data, allow to monitor changes in glaciers over time.

Urban Water Scarcity: How data from NASA’s GRACE-FO Mission can be used for (near) real time water management

As population becomes larger the demand for water soars, including water needed for domestic, industrial and municipal uses (Mogelgaard 2011). One example of that, is India, where on 20 June 2019 the city of Chennai almost run out of water. Satellite images show the extent of the water shortage in the city (figure 1). While people are queuing up to get water from water trucks that transfer water to the city, the greatest struggle is taking place in the city’s municipal buildings and businesses. Hospitals are facing the threat of not having enough water to treat patients and to clean equipment, and businesses are forced to shut down and wait until the crisis is over.

Wastewater recycling on the ISS and in Singapore

How would you feel about drinking your own urine? To most, it is a measure that would only be taken in the direst of circumstances. However, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have been drinking recycled urine every day for the past decade. In 2008, the ISS installed the Water Recovery System, a wastewater recycling device which converts urine, sweat, and atmospheric moisture into drinking water. This device has allowed the ISS to be much more self-sufficient and devices like it could serve to more sustainably produce clean water on Earth.

The impact of space-based internet communications constellations on water

Imagine a world where your internet is delivered not through cables or cell towers but a vast swarm of orbiting satellites. That world is a very different place. Political borders are no longer communication boundaries. Your phone works just as well in the US as it does in Nigeria and Australia and Cambodia. You can communicate with people on the other side of the planet near the physical limits of information transmission, unconstrained by slow cable networks.

Space-based technologies and data complementing GRACE datasets for groundwater assessments and monitoring

With increasing populations, groundwater abstraction also increased as about half of the global urban population access their water through aquifers (Foster et al., 2020). With 74% of the world population depending on it for safe drinking water services and sanitation (WHO and UNICEF, 2021), groundwater plays a vital role in health.

The progress and potential of Sustainable Development Goal 6 and how Space Technologies contribute

Transitioning from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The world of WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) has come a long way in 30 years. Between 1990 and 2015, 2.6 billion people gained access to improved drinking water, whilst 2.1 billion gained access to improved sanitation (Unicef and World Health Organisation 2015). That’s a lot of people. But is it enough?

Monitoring hydrological changes from space in a sparse gauged basin

Africa is endowed with abundant freshwater resources. It has sufficient rainfall and relatively low levels of water withdrawals for three major uses: domestic, agricultural and industrial uses. Changes in Africa’s water resources has been noticed transpiring in changes in water flow and variability, falling groundwater levels, changes in rainfall levels and timing, strongly influenced under climate change. The continent has a huge potential for energy production through hydropower.

Can space technologies help improve WASH provision in camps and informal settlements?

The Human Right to water and sanitation

What does your morning routine look like? For most readers I’d assume you use the toilet, wash your hands, and maybe take a shower. However, do you ever stop to consider the water you use to shower, or the soap you use to wash your hands? Often, especially in developed countries, these things are taken for granted, rightly considering access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) as basic Human Rights (Figure 1).

Aquaporins: Fighting the global water crisis using nature’s own filter

A new water-treatment technology used by astronauts aboard the International Space Station has the potential to provide clean water to millions of people worldwide. By using proteins called aquaporins, this system mimics the natural filtering abilities of human kidneys and plant roots to purify and recycle wastewater. With an increasing global water demand especially in remote locations where clean drinking water is not easily accessible, this technology has the potential to provide a more resource-efficient method of water purification not only in space, but here on Earth as well.

Space technologies for drought monitoring and management

The impacts of climate change are ever more apparent. The frequency and scale of devastation and destruction of weather hazards are on an increasing trend. According to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report (IPCC, 2021) climate change is intensifying the water cycle. This will cause more intense droughts in many regions. Moreover, water-related extremes impact the quality of life disproportionately strong. Drought accounts for 25% of all losses from weather-related disasters in the United States of America (Hayes et al., 2012).

Interview with Hannah Ritchie, PhD student in WASH at Cranfield University

Hannah has always had a love for the outdoors and especially for being by the sea. From her interest in both hydrogeology and development, developed during her undergraduate studies in geology and her travels respectively, she is now undertaking a PhD in WASH, researching water security in rural communities in Kenya. Hannah undertook a six-month internship with Space4Water at UNOOSA in 2021, where she developed her understanding of the importance and application of space-based technologies in the water sector. She believes that groundwater and sanitation are two areas where space technologies are currently under-exploited but in which they hold a lot of potential.

Interview with Simonetta di Pippo

Interview with Prof. Emerita Kristine M. Larson

Interview with Mr Stuart Crane, Programme Management Officer at UN Environment

Interview with Ioana Popescu, Associate Professor of Hydroinformatics at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education

Please describe how your professional (and/or personal) experience relates to space technologies and their applications to water resources management.

Interview with Cadence Kaumoana, Chair at Te Huia and Rangiwherowhero Trust

Short description of the Māori community

Our community is made up of direct descendents from our ancestors; Te Huia and Rangiwherowhero. Our Trust is made up of over 700 beneficiaries and is from the Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Apakura tribes which has over 60,000 overall affiliated tribal members.

Interview with Margherita Bruscolini, Geospatial & Earth Scientist, Drone Pilot at RSS-Hydro

Margherita is an interdisciplinary Earth scientist and drone pilot with a background in geologic and environmental sciences. She has international experience working in fields such as Earth Observation (EO), remote sensing, drones & geospatial data analysis applied to the environmental and humanitarian sectors, sustainability and climate change. Margherita is passionate about natural and climate-related technologies that can be used to develop sustainable and long-lasting solutions. She is working for a more inclusive world (Women in Geospatial+), without any sort of geographical or social barriers. Keywords: Science communication, Climate Change, STEM, inclusivity, sustainability, nature, hydrosphere, hydrology, water risks, Earth Observation (EO), satellite data, flood modeling, vulnerability, resilience, lifelong learning Region/Country mentioned: Temperate climates, Arid climates, Luxembourg, Niger Relevant SDG targets: 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13, 17

Interview with Nokubonga Mazibuko, Commissioner at the Commission on Khoi-San Matters, South Africa

Disclaimer!

I should note that this interview does not aim to compare the San women of Platfontein with the Zulu women from Folweni as these are totally different communities. Also, as much as I am a Commissioner, this interview is not done on behalf of the Commission on Khoi-San Matters (CKSM) but on my personal capacity as a researcher and academic who has an interest on issues pertaining to women.

Interview with Ruvimbo Samanga

Ruvimbo Samanga, despite her age, has vast experience in the law, space, and water sectors. She is presently involved in a regional study on the integration of GIS and statistical information in Zimbabwe, working towards the promulgation of GIS standards and legislation to support a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). Ruvimbo is excited by the merging of sustainable development for water management with space technologies because it is scalable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective over the long run. Ruvimbo feels strongly that space technologies have a role to play in policy and legal affairs, and also sees potential especially in the use of emerging technologies such as block chain, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing.

Interview with Joshua Ubah, Geospatial Environmental Engineer

Joshua is a Master’s student in Tropical Hydrogeology and Environmental Engineering at Technische Universität of Darmstadt. His interest is focused on hydrogeological processes, groundwater modelling, application of remote sensing and GIS in environmental studies, water management and climate change. He also works as a graduate Intern at AgriWatch BV, a company that applies geospatial solutions for precision Agriculture. As a graduate intern, he applies his interdisciplinary knowledge in developing smart-farming solutions using space-based technologies to farmers in the Twente region of the Netherlands. He deploys satellite imagery, field studies and machine learning algorithms to predict the effect of climate change on arable crops. He also utilizes precipitation data to predict rainfall events to aid farmers in determining planting and harvesting periods. Joshua earned a bachelor’s degree in Geological Sciences, his bachelor’s thesis research aimed at carrying out paleoenvironmental reconstruction using paleocurrent indicators of water flow and direction, and application of ArcGIS to produce maps. Currently, he is working on his master’s thesis with emphasis on the impact of the ancient climate on the paleoenvironment particularly on vegetation, where he tries to research plants response to long-term greenhouse periods and short-term warming events on various timescales throughout Earth's history. His research interests revolve around the application of space technologies in providing solutions and tackling climate change.

Interview with Valdilene Silva Siqueira

Valdilene Siqueira has a diverse background in chemistry and environmental engineering and is currently pursing a master’s degree in Sustainable Territorial Development. Her work and experience has always been closely tied to water management and sanitation. She believes that access to water and ensuring the sustainable management of water resources in a fast-paced changing world are two of the most important challenges for the coming years. Valdilene feels that achieving mutual understanding on how to manage this resource, especially in water-scarce regions, is a real challenge for decision-makers but considers that an intersectoral, integrated and participatory approach is capable of bringing stakeholders together to reconcile their different interests and build collective solutions. 

Interview with Sarhan Zerouali

Sarhan Zerouali became fascinated with water at a young age through learning about water scarcity around the world and about traditional methods for locating groundwater. In a space applications course Sahran then learnt about space-based technologies. He is currently working on a research project on how remote sensing and other technologies can help alleviate global challenges arising from land degradation. As an aerospace engineer, Sahran has worked with various modern technologies in his work including nanosatellites, artificial intelligence, and feature extraction algorithms.

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 Lilian Nguracha Balanga, Founder of Women.conserve

Samburu women collecting water from a water well

Short description of the Samburu community

The Samburu community is the Nilotic ethnic community of North Central Kenya. They dress in red shukas and adorn themselves with necklaces, bracelets and anklets mostly from beads. They believe in God Nkai, living in the mountains. They are nomadic are pastoralists, meaning that they keep animals (e.g., cows, goats, sheep and camel) which is their main source of livelihood as they get milk, meat and blood for self consumption and/or to be sold. They move from place to place in search of pasture and water.

Interview with Malek Abdulfailat

Malek Abdulfailat has over 10 years of experience mapping and coordinating water-related projects in Palestine, Israel, and Jordon. He is currently leading a new consultation firm working on three projects: Green businesses and Water, EcoTourism and Water, and Solid waste management through women leaders. He has experience using several different space based technologies including spatial analysis and water elevation mapping. He’s realises the importance of space based technologies and believes that one factor needed to unlock their true potential is by increasing access to such tools and by better communicating their potential to policy makers.

Interview with Lukas Graf

Lukas Graf used to take clean drinking water for granted. As he grew up, and conversations around climate change and environmental destruction became increasingly intense, he started to become more aware of the importance and scarcity of water resources. Around a similar time, he became increasingly enthusiastic about space, realising that space technologies could be used to explore many of the pressing topics that he was interested in. He has participated in research projects that used remote sensing methods to study the effects of global change on ecosystems and especially on water availability. Lukas is interested in a range of topics from virtual water and water quality to irrigation and agriculture. He believes that interdisciplinary approaches and mutual dialog with societies and stakeholders need to be deepened for sustained resource management.

Interview with Egline Tauya, Head of the Environment and Water Institute at SARDC

Interview with Melody Lepine, Director at the Mikisew Cree First Nation Government and Industry Relations

Suncor upgrader, tailing ponds, Athabasca River and Tar/oil sands in Northern Alberta. Photograph taken by Garth Lenz, 2019

Photo by Garth Lenz.

Short description of the Mikisew Cree First Nation community

Nestled on the northwest shore of Lake Athabasca, Fort Chipewyan is one of the most northern communities in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Isolated by nature, Fort Chipewyan can only be accessed by plane or boat in the summer and by a winter road in the winter.

Interview with Tania Eulalia Martinez Cruz, Research Associate at Free University of Brussels

Tääk ë´mëj (grandmother) cleansing her wooden cane. In Tamazulápam women guide the spiritual life of people in the community and teach younger generations the rituals and forms to interact with nature. Photo credits: Joselí Martínez-Vidal, Young Ëyuujk man from Tamazulápam del Espíritu Santo, Mixe, Oaxaca.

Photo: Tääk ë´mëj (grandmother) cleansing her wooden cane. In Tamazulápam women guide the spiritual life of people in the community and teach younger generations the rituals and forms to interact with nature. Credits: Joselí Martínez-Vidal, Young Ëyuujk man from Tamazulápam del Espíritu Santo, Mixe, Oaxaca.

Interview with Prof. Hesham El-Askary

Interview with Rebecca Gustine, PhD Student at Washington State University, Intern at Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Rebecca Gustine is currently a PhD student at Washington State University in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering studying civil engineering with a focus on water resources. She is also an intern at NASA JPL where she is a member of the ECOSTRESS applied science mission team working with local agencies to inform resource management and conservation efforts. We talked to her about her interdisciplinary research experiences through her undergraduate and graduate school.

Interview with Dr. Ayan Santos Fleischmann, Lead, Research Group in Geospatial Analysis of the Amazonian Environment and Territory

Ayan Santos Fleischmann is a hydrologist with a particular interest in wetlands and large-scale basins, mainly in South America and Africa, and in the context of human impacts on water resources. His main study approaches involve remote sensing techniques and hydrologic-hydrodynamic modeling, as well as interdisciplinary collaborations with other disciplines such as ecology and social sciences. Currently, he is a researcher at the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development (Tefé, Amazonas, Brazil), where he leads the Research Group in Geospatial Analysis of the Amazonian Environment and Territory. He also leads the Conexões Amazônicas initiative for science communication about the Amazon Basin. Ayan holds a PhD degree from UFRGS, with a collaborative period at Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier (France). His Ph. D. thesis focused on the hydrology of the South American wetlands. Ayan holds an Environmental Engineering degree from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), with a research stay at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. In this interview, we talked to him about his career path, the work he has been developing in Brazil with wetlands and floods, and his work in the Amazon River basin.

Interview with Alicia Simón Sisimit, Kaqchikel Journalist and activist at DDASO Project

DDASO project team conducting field work

Short description of the Kaqchikel community

The municipality of San José Poaquil was founded on November 1, 1891. It is located in the department of Chimaltenango with a territorial extension of approximately 100 km² and has almost 30 000 inhabitants. It is one of the 16 municipalities that make up the department of Chimaltenango. It is located in the west of the Republic of Guatemala at a distance of 101 kilometers from the Capital City and distance 47 kilometers from the Departmental Capital.

Interview with Naledi Msiya

Describe your professional (and/or personal) experience relating to water (and space technologies). Please indicate whether an experience is related to water or to both, space and water).

I have always had an interest for science and the environment and before starting university I was introduced to hydrology which really caught my interest and led me to studying a BSc Degree in Hydrology and Geography.