How do you personally and professionally relate to water? 

Growing up in Israel, water scarcity was a constant backdrop to my childhood. The arid climate and frequent droughts shaped my relationship with water from an early age. One vivid memory that remains stamped in my mind is the series of TV campaigns highlighting the importance of water conservation. I recall sitting in front of the television, concerned by the urgency conveyed in those campaigns. The images of dry landscapes and the emphasis on every drop of water as precious left a lasting impression.

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.

Translated by: Isabel Zetina

Translated by: Isabel Zetina

No hace mucho, en 1916, el explorador Padre De Agostini inspeccionó parte de la topografía de los glaciares Escondidos de la Patagonia (De Agostini, 1949). Hoy en día, la tecnología espacial, como las misiones ICESat de la NASA y los datos de la Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), permiten seguir los cambios de los glaciares a lo largo del tiempo.

Translated by Marina Agarkova

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.

In 2019, floods caused 43.5% of all deaths due to natural disasters and thereby represent the deadliest type of disaster with an increasing number of events compared to previous years (CRED, 2019). Floods furthermore lead to the highest number of people affected compared to other disasters as they affect human activities and the economy (CRED, 2019; Elagib et al. 2019).

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.

Translated by Dr. Mengyi Jin

数字孪生技术正越来越多地应用于模拟海平面上升所带来的影响，为城市规划、海岸管理和灾害应对等领域的决策者提供了宝贵的工具。这些虚拟模型整合了包括地理空间影像、人工智能和环境监测系统等不同来源的实时数据，可以详细模拟海平面上升对特定区域产生的影响。

通过准确绘制当前的土地覆盖特征，并不断用新数据更新这些模型，数字孪生使研究人员和政府部门能够在不同的气候变化条件下对未来的情景进行预测。这有助于识别脆弱区域、规划基础防护设施以及优化疏散策略。例如，高分辨率地理空间数据可以显示哪些区域面临洪水风险，而由人工智能驱动的模拟则可以预测海平面上升可能对当地生态系统和城市环境产生的长期影响。

通过将海平面上升纳入数字孪生模拟，城市规划者和环境科学家可以充分了解其对沿海地区的长期影响，从而为气候变化带来的挑战做好更加充分的准备。这项技术对于直观呈现和科学规划适应性应对措施，从而减缓海平面上升可能造成的损害具有重要意义。

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.

Le droit humain à l'eau et à l'assainissement 

À quoi ressemble votre routine matinale ? Pour la plupart des lecteurs, je suppose que vous utilisez les toilettes, vous vous lavez les mains et peut-être que vous prenez une douche. Cependant, vous arrive-t-il de vous arrêter pour réfléchir à l'eau que vous utilisez sous la douche ou au savon que vous utilisez pour vous laver les mains ?

Recently, in July 2021, destructive and deadly floods occurred in Western Europe. The estimated insured losses only in Germany could approach 5 billion Euros (AIR Worldwide, 2021). However, the total amount of the damage is currently not foreseeable due to the variety and complexity of the damage patterns and the unbelievable extent of the disaster. It seems the socio-economic losses will dramatically increase and break a new record in the insurance industry after evaluating the complete record of damages’ reports (see Figure 1).

Merci à Martin Sarret d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Translated by Marina Agarkova

Introduction

Embarking on a new kind of adventure, scientists are using small satellites called CubeSats to explore the mysteries of water on Earth. They can help us learn more about oceans, lakes, and rivers. Water sustains all forms of life but, for something so integral to our existence, we know little about its intricate dynamics. This is where the collaboration between space technology and water research comes into play.

Translated by Dr. Mengyi Jin

海上领域意识（Maritime Domain Awareness, MDA）在海事领域面临着诸多挑战。卫星技术的应用，为大范围、持续性的海域监测提供了重要支持。在该背景下，合成孔径雷达（SAR）因其全天候的能力而脱颖而出，广泛应用于环境监测、国防系统等多个领域。此外，卫星星座（satellite constellations）具备诸多优势，如全球覆盖、定期重访、远程可达以及海量数据获取能力（Sandau et al., 2010；Graziano et al., 2012）。

Merci à Ekaterina Samolygo d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

C’est encore récemment, en 1916, que l’explorateur Padre De Agostini révéla une partie de la topographie des glaciers Escondidos (« glaciers caches » en francais). En Patagonie (De Agostini, 1949).

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.

A mangrove is defined by the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History as

“a woody tree or shrub that lives along sheltered coastlines within the tropic or subtropic latitudes” (Teutli-Hernández et al. 2020).

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.

In 2019, floods caused 43.5% of all deaths due to natural disasters and thereby represent the deadliest type of disaster with an increasing number of events compared to previous years (CRED, 2019). Floods furthermore lead to the highest number of people affected compared to other disasters as they affect human activities and the economy (CRED, 2019; Elagib et al. 2019).

Les réserves mondiales d'eau souterraine 

Les eaux souterraines représentent 30 % des ressources en eau douce de la planète (Shiklomanov 1993) (figure 1) et fournissent au niveau mondial 36 % de l'eau potable, 42 % de l'eau d'irrigation et 24 % de l'eau industrielle, témoignant de leur valeur considérable (Global Environment Facility 2021).

^{Source: (Morgan, J. 2020)}

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.

Have you ever heard the phrase "All the rivers run into the sea"? In most cases, this statement holds, with one exception: rivers that end up in lakes. If you imagine mountain ranges as the walls of a bathtub, the ocean is like the bottom of the bathtub, collecting all the water from the bathtub. No matter where you live, you inhabit a land area where all the water, above and below ground, converges into a common body of water (Figure 1). We call this area a watershed. Watersheds vary in size.

Merci à Mussa Kachunga Stanis d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Translated by Marina Agarkova

В 2019 году наводнения стали причиной 43,5% всех смертей в результате стихийных бедствий и, таким образом, представляют собой самый смертоносный тип бедствия с растущим числом событий по сравнению с предыдущими годами (CRED, 2019). Кроме того, наводнения приводят к наибольшему числу пострадавших людей по сравнению с другими бедствиями, поскольку они влияют на деятельность человека и экономику (CRED, 2019; Elagib et al. 2019).

Translated by Marina Agarkova

Introduction

Embarking on a new kind of adventure, scientists are using small satellites called CubeSats to explore the mysteries of water on Earth. They can help us learn more about oceans, lakes, and rivers. Water sustains all forms of life but, for something so integral to our existence, we know little about its intricate dynamics. This is where the collaboration between space technology and water research comes into play.

Introduction

With the rapid advancement of urbanization, urban water environments are facing unprecedented challenges (Chen et al. 2015). The continuous expansion of impervious surfaces has disrupted the natural water cycle, resulting in rapid stormwater runoff, increased frequency of urban flooding, and reduced groundwater recharge. At the same time, worsening water pollution and the intensifying urban heat island effect further highlight the limitations of traditional urban planning and design in adapting to hydrological systems.

Translated by Marina Agarkova

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.

C’est encore récemment, en 1916, que l’explorateur Padre De Agostini révéla une partie de la topographie des glaciers Escondidos (« glaciers caches » en francais). En Patagonie (De Agostini, 1949).

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.

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).

Translated by Isabel Zetina

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).

Merci à Mussa Kachunga Stanis d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

La résilience d'un socio-écosystème est généralement testée par sa capacité à persister et à maintenir sa fonctionnalité tout en subissant des changements dus à des perturbations. Mais que se passe-t-il lorsque les perturbations sont trop rapides, trop préjudiciables et trop fortes pour qu'un socio-écosystème puisse maintenir sa fonctionnalité ?

Introduction 

Snow has a crucial contribution to Earth’s climate and helps to maintain the Earth’s temperature. When snow melts, it aids in providing water to people for their livelihood and affects the survival of animals and plants (National Snow and Ice Data Center). Approximately 1.2 billion people - constituting one-sixth of the global population - depend on snowmelt water for both agricultural activities and human consumption (Barnett et al., 2005).

In 2019, floods caused 43.5% of all deaths due to natural disasters and thereby represent the deadliest type of disaster with an increasing number of events compared to previous years (CRED, 2019). Floods furthermore lead to the highest number of people affected compared to other disasters as they affect human activities and the economy (CRED, 2019; Elagib et al. 2019).

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.

Les réserves mondiales d'eau souterraine 

Les eaux souterraines représentent 30 % des ressources en eau douce de la planète (Shiklomanov 1993) (figure 1) et fournissent au niveau mondial 36 % de l'eau potable, 42 % de l'eau d'irrigation et 24 % de l'eau industrielle, témoignant de leur valeur considérable (Global Environment Facility 2021).

Since ancient times, people have established communities in river deltas because it provides water, fertile land, and transportation access, making them an ideal place to live. This pattern has been carried forward to the present. With nearly 6 billion people living in river deltas, they are one of the most densely populated places on Earth (Kuenzer and Renaud, 2011). However, they are facing threats such as climate change, sea level rise, land use changes, and ecosystem degradation.

Translated by: Isabel Zetina

No hace mucho, en 1916, el explorador Padre De Agostini inspeccionó parte de la topografía de los glaciares Escondidos de la Patagonia (De Agostini, 1949). Hoy en día, la tecnología espacial, como las misiones ICESat de la NASA y los datos de la Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), permiten seguir los cambios de los glaciares a lo largo del tiempo.

Have you ever heard the phrase "All the rivers run into the sea"? In most cases, this statement holds, with one exception: rivers that end up in lakes. If you imagine mountain ranges as the walls of a bathtub, the ocean is like the bottom of the bathtub, collecting all the water from the bathtub. No matter where you live, you inhabit a land area where all the water, above and below ground, converges into a common body of water (Figure 1). We call this area a watershed. Watersheds vary in size.

Merci à Mussa Kachunga Stanis d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Translated by Marina Agarkova

В 2019 году наводнения стали причиной 43,5% всех смертей в результате стихийных бедствий и, таким образом, представляют собой самый смертоносный тип бедствия с растущим числом событий по сравнению с предыдущими годами (CRED, 2019). Кроме того, наводнения приводят к наибольшему числу пострадавших людей по сравнению с другими бедствиями, поскольку они влияют на деятельность человека и экономику (CRED, 2019; Elagib et al. 2019).

Translated by Marina Agarkova

Translated by Dr. Mengyi Jin

引言

随着城市化的快速推进，城市水环境正面临前所未有的挑战 (Chen et al. 2015)。城市地表不透水面的持续扩张削弱了自然雨水循环，导致降雨径流迅速汇集，增加了内涝发生的频率，也降低了雨水对地下水的补给能力。同时，水体污染以及城市热岛效应的加剧，进一步暴露出传统城市规划对水文系统适应性的不足。在气候变化背景下，极端降雨、干旱等事件的发生频率和强度不断上升，这些现象正严峻考验着城市对水资源的调蓄、排涝、净化和生态恢复等能力。

在这个背景下，水敏感城市设计（Water Sensitive Urban Design, WSUD）作为一种新型城市发展模式被广泛关注。与“低影响开发”（Low Impact Development, LID）理念相似， 水敏感城市设计强调模拟自然水循环过程，并提升城市应对水资源相关挑战的韧性。其核心目标在于将水资源视为城市系统中不可或缺的组成部分，通过系统性地管理水的收集、输送、处理与储存过程，实现其生态功能与社会功能的有机融合（Wong 2006）。

C’est encore récemment, en 1916, que l’explorateur Padre De Agostini révéla une partie de la topographie des glaciers Escondidos (« glaciers caches » en francais). En Patagonie (De Agostini, 1949).

Translated by: Isabel Zetina 

Digital twin technology is increasingly being used to simulate the effects of sea level rise, providing valuable tools for decision-makers in areas such as urban planning, coastal management, and disaster preparedness. These virtual models integrate real-time data from various sources, including geospatial imagery, AI, and environmental monitoring systems, to create detailed simulations of how rising sea levels could impact specific regions. 

Translated by Isabel Zetina

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.

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).

Merci à Mussa Kachunga Stanis d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

La résilience d'un socio-écosystème est généralement testée par sa capacité à persister et à maintenir sa fonctionnalité tout en subissant des changements dus à des perturbations. Mais que se passe-t-il lorsque les perturbations sont trop rapides, trop préjudiciables et trop fortes pour qu'un socio-écosystème puisse maintenir sa fonctionnalité ?

Merci à Martin Sarret d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Imagine a small coastal community at the periphery of a tropical storm. Hours before the first waves hit, an antenna smaller than a dinner plate begins detecting subtle changes in signal patterns from satellites thousands of kilometres overhead. Within minutes those changes reveal that the tide is rising far faster than normal. A sign of a storm surge. Warnings are issued and lives are saved.

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.

Translated by Dr. Mengyi Jin

自古以来，河流三角洲因水资源丰富、土壤肥沃及交通便利而成为人类聚居的重要区域。这一格局延续至今。目前，生活在三角洲地区的人口已接近 60 亿，使其成为全球人口最稠密的地区之一（Kuenzer and Renaud 2011）。然而，这些三角洲地区正面临着气候变化、海平面上升、土地利用方式转变以及生态系统退化等威胁。遥感技术在获取环境状况及其时序变化方面具有显著优势，其在识别灾害前兆信号、预测自然现象演变等方面发挥着关键作用。在三角洲地区，遥感已被广泛应用于海岸线变化监测、洪水监测与预测等领域（Merkuryeva et al. 2015；Li and Damen 2010）。持续开展三角洲监测不仅有助于维护其生态功能，还能及时识别潜在风险，并为科学管理提供重要依据，而遥感正是实现这一目标的关键技术。

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).

Translated by: Isabel Zetina

No hace mucho, en 1916, el explorador Padre De Agostini inspeccionó parte de la topografía de los glaciares Escondidos de la Patagonia (De Agostini, 1949). Hoy en día, la tecnología espacial, como las misiones ICESat de la NASA y los datos de la Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), permiten seguir los cambios de los glaciares a lo largo del tiempo.

Translated by Marina Agarkova

Translated by Marina Agarkova

В 2019 году наводнения стали причиной 43,5% всех смертей в результате стихийных бедствий и, таким образом, представляют собой самый смертоносный тип бедствия с растущим числом событий по сравнению с предыдущими годами (CRED, 2019). Кроме того, наводнения приводят к наибольшему числу пострадавших людей по сравнению с другими бедствиями, поскольку они влияют на деятельность человека и экономику (CRED, 2019; Elagib et al. 2019).

Forest cover refers to the extent of land area covered by forests. It can be expressed either as a percentage relative to the total land area or in absolute terms measured in square kilometers or square miles (ScienceDirect). As of 2020, globally, forests account for 31 percent of the land area with roughly half of this area considered relatively intact. The total forest coverage is 4.06 billion hectares.

Translated by Marina Agarkova

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.

Translated by: Isabel Zetina 

Translated by Marina Agarkova

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.

Translated by: Isabel Zetina 

El 2 de febrero de 2020 celebramos el Día Mundial de los Humedales para concienciar al mundo sobre el papel vital de los humedales para las personas y nuestro planeta. La edición de este año destaca la conexión entre el agua, los humedales y la vida.

Le droit humain à l'eau et à l'assainissement 

À quoi ressemble votre routine matinale ? Pour la plupart des lecteurs, je suppose que vous utilisez les toilettes, vous vous lavez les mains et peut-être que vous prenez une douche. Cependant, vous arrive-t-il de vous arrêter pour réfléchir à l'eau que vous utilisez sous la douche ou au savon que vous utilisez pour vous laver les mains ?

Recently, in July 2021, destructive and deadly floods occurred in Western Europe. The estimated insured losses only in Germany could approach 5 billion Euros (AIR Worldwide, 2021). However, the total amount of the damage is currently not foreseeable due to the variety and complexity of the damage patterns and the unbelievable extent of the disaster. It seems the socio-economic losses will dramatically increase and break a new record in the insurance industry after evaluating the complete record of damages’ reports (see Figure 1).

Merci à Martin Sarret d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

At sunrise in Bundelkhand, Northern India, farmer Ramesh Patel walks across a cracked wheat field, where the delayed and weak monsoon has left his crops wilting and wells running dry. Over the past five years, wells have sunk several meters, and groundwater levels in the region have fallen steadily for more than two decades (CGWB 2021; Niranjannaik et al. 2022). He is not alone: farmers, water managers, industries, and hydropower operators around the world face the same urgent question—how much water do we really have?  

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.

Introduction

In recent decades, many regions of the world have experienced a growing instability in rainfall patterns. What were once predictable seasonal rains have become unpredictable —arriving late, falling too fast, or not coming at all. As communities face longer droughts, more frequent floods, and declining snowpack, it’s increasingly clear that these disruptions are not isolated events, but signals of a deeper transformation: the global water cycle is changing.

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).

How do you personally and professionally relate to water? 

Growing up in Israel, water scarcity was a constant backdrop to my childhood. The arid climate and frequent droughts shaped my relationship with water from an early age. One vivid memory that remains stamped in my mind is the series of TV campaigns highlighting the importance of water conservation. I recall sitting in front of the television, concerned by the urgency conveyed in those campaigns. The images of dry landscapes and the emphasis on every drop of water as precious left a lasting impression.

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.

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.

Could you describe how your professional and/or personal experience relate to water? Where does your interest in water resources management come from? What influenced your decision to focus your work on the use of space technology for water management? 

My upbringing on a farm set out the foundation for my interest in water resources, as I used to collect water for domestic and agricultural purposes from the streams.

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.

Applications are invited from African nationals for scholarships in the fields of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science, Planetary Geology and Remote Sensing.

The 3rd PAPSSN Call offers the following scholarships:

Could you describe how your professional and/or personal experience relate to water? Where does your interest in water resources management come from? What influenced your decision to focus your work on the use of space technology for water management? 

My upbringing on a farm set out the foundation for my interest in water resources, as I used to collect water for domestic and agricultural purposes from the streams.

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.

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.

co-organised by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
and the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW)

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the Government of Costa Rica, and the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW) were jointly organizing a conference to promote the use of space technology in water management to the benefit of developing countries.

The Conference was heldin San José, Costa Rica, from 7-10 May 2024, hosted by and with the support of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) on behalf of the Government of Costa Rica.

co-organised by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
and the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW)

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.

co-organised by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
and the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW)

24-25 October 2023, at the Vienna International Centre

organised by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
co-organised with the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW)

 
This event is restricted to Space4Water stakeholders, featured professionals, young professionals and representatives of Indigenous communities featured on the portal.

Applications are invited from African nationals for scholarships in the fields of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science, Planetary Geology and Remote Sensing.

The 2nd PAPSSN Call offers the following scholarships: