Earth Observation for Sustainable Development - Building of partnerships between Europe and Africa.
Bremen, Germany, 13 - 16 February 2017
A huge amount of data from the Earth Observation program Copernicus of the European Union is available open and free. From these data, when properly processed, useful information about state of the earth, agriculture, water, climate, environment, disasters, migration, urban development, economic development, etc. can be generated. This information is a powerful additional instrument for planners and decision makers from national, regional and local authorities (RLA), who are responsible for development, implementation and monitoring of measures for sustainable development.
Nevertheless, remote sensing is not yet used in many regions in Europe and even less so in developing countries. Reasons for the insufficient application of EO-technology are manifold: among others lack of information at end user level (planners and decision makers at RLA) on the benefit and availability of EO-information and how to include it into decision making processes; structural deficits in terms of technical infrastructure; lack of knowledge and expertise for processing of EO-data into relevant and specific information.
Bremen is considered as one of the technology hot spots for space technologies in Europe and is highly interested to support and promote use and application of space data as an instrument for sustainable development planning in Europe and developing countries.
This project, funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, contributes to a better consideration of the potentials of EO in planning, decision making and monitoring of projects for sustainable development in Africa.
With the establishment of the network of experts and practitioners from Africa and Europe a vivid exchange and learning process between them on effective use of EO for sustainable development has been initiated and produces solutions for mastering the existing information and application gaps which impede broader use of EO in Africa.
The Workshop
The Workshop conducted in Bremen/Germany provides space and opportunity for an intensive exchange of experience between European and African experts on how
to use earth observation instruments successfully and overcome hindrances and roadblocks. Show-cases from Europe will be presented and discussed especially under the question of transferability of the instruments under framework conditions in Africa. The workshop also provides the opportunity and stimulates participants to form partnerships for further cooperation, joint projects and business activities as well as for mutual support.
Follow-up activities for the network like meetings, support to the partnerships, an online coaching and discussion platform will be implemented, to further deepen the working relations between partners from Europe and Africa. Additional workshops will be conducted according to needs for face to face discussions.
GIZ jointly with network members will make efforts to achieve grants from EU-bodies or other donors for the further cooperation of partners towards the development earth observation applications in planning for sustainable development in Africa.
Partners from Africa and Europe:
- Free Hanseatic City of Bremen
- NEREUS – Network of European Regions Using Space Technology (http://www.nereus-regions.eu/)
- Representatives from EO-consulting companies from Europe and Africa
- Decision makers from local and regional authorities from Africa and Europe
- EOMAP Earth Observation and Mapping
- GIZ Office in Bremen
