Kraków, Poland – October 2024 – On October 8th, the EuroGEO Workshop 2024 hosted the SDGs-EYES Policy Event titled “Harnessing Earth Observation data for Sustainable Development.” The pivotal gathering aimed at exploring the integration of Earth Observation (EO) data into Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) monitoring, trying to assess its interaction with current and future policy frameworks.
This event underscored the critical role of EO technology in enhancing national and regional capacities for SDG reporting, bringing together a diverse audience, including representatives from national statistical offices, policymakers, researchers, and industry experts. The session commenced with presentations from the SDGs-EYES project team: Dr. Manuela Balzarolo (CMCC), project coordinator, presented the overall goal and approach of the project and introduced one of its pilot activities; Mr. Stefano Natali (Sistema) illustrated the SDGs-EYEs user centred platform and its potentialities for expert and non-expert users. These presentations set the stage for a comprehensive discussion on the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating EO data into national and international SDG frameworks.
One of the relevant themes was the importance of developing a multi-scalar approach, ensuring the platform’s tools can be applied effectively at various administrative levels, from local municipalities to international organisations. Indeed, the SDGs-EYES platform and the project tools it hosts, incorporates different satellite and local data, and can present a scalable and adaptable solution aimed at bridging the gap between international standards and local realities.
The following panel discussion chaired by Dr. Passani Antonella (T6 Ecosystems) brought further insights into the integration of EO data for SDG monitoring. The panel included: Mr. Przemysław Slesiński, Remote sensing specialist at Statistics Poland and Expert in geospatial data analysis; Mr. Michele Melchiorri, Project Officer at the EU Joint Research Centre and Responsible for integrating the Global Human Settlement Layer into the Copernicus Emergency Management Service; Mr. Stijn Vermoote, Head of User Outreach and Engagement Section at ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts); Dr. Emmanuel Pajot Secretary General of the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC); Dr. Charalampos Haris Kontoes, Research Director at IAASARS/NOA (Astronomy, Astrophysics Space Applications and Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens) and leader of the BEYOND Center for Earth Observation Research. The experts underscored the importance of early user engagement and capacity building to ensure that tools are not only adopted but also optimised for local contexts. The panel stressed that successful implementation hinges on developing effective communication strategies to convey the benefits of EO data.
Flexibility and usability of the SDGs-EYES platform were recurring themes throughout the event. Participants emphasised the need for tools that are not only adaptable to the needs of diverse users but also capable of providing downloadable datasets for further analysis. Such flexibility is vital for making EO data accessible and actionable, fostering data-driven policymaking and enabling precise, localised interventions. The conversation also touched on the development of composite indicators that integrate multiple dimensions of urban risk, providing a holistic view that supports the creation of effective policy scenarios and interventions.
The event concluded with Dr. Balzarolo delivering closing remarks, expressing the SDGs-EYES team’s enthusiasm for the project’s progress and the crucial suggestions provided by the panellists. The collaborative spirit of the event underscored the project’s commitment to refining its platform based on real-world user input, highlighting the importance of continued partnership and stakeholder involvement.
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About SDGs-EYES: SDGs-EYES is a three-year (Starting date: 1 January 2023) European Research and Innovation Action project that aims at boosting the European capacity for monitoring the SDGs based on Copernicus through building a portfolio of decision-making tools to monitor those SDG indicators related to the environment from an inter-sectoral perspective, aligning with the EU Green Deal priorities and challenges.
To learn more about SDGs-EYES, visit the website: https://sdgs-eyes.eu/
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The SDGs-EYES Project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme for research and innovation under project number 101082311.