Displaying 31 - 40 of 184
In the wake of the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed over 230,000 lives and left millions displaced, the urgent need for a coordinated disaster response system among international agencies, governments, and humanitarian organizations became glaringly evident. In response, the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) was established to bridge the gap between real-time disaster data and response capabilities. Integral to this effort was UNOSAT’s development of the Satellite Mapping Coordination System (SMCS) in 2010, following the Haiti earthqu...
13 February 2024, Vientiane, Lao PDR - On 11-15 December 2023 the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) delivered a five-day training programme, under the ongoing project, “Strengthening Capacities in the Use of Geospatial Information for Improved Resilience in Asia-Pacific and Africa" funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD).
In the wake of increasing vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change impacts, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has taken a proactive approach to disaster risk management (DRM). A recent advanc...
20 January 2021, Geneva, Switzerland – UNOSAT delivered a four week moderated e-learning course under the framework “Strengthening Women’s Disaster Management Capacities in Guyana and Dominica”, a project funded by the Government of Japan and led by UNDP Guyana. The e-learning event is part of the capacity development activities planned under the second component of the “Development of Guyana’s National Flood Early Warning System (NFEWS)" initiative.
Disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and droughts, represent a recurring threat for the deve...
10 February 2021, Geneva, Switzerland – 2020 was a year of both challenges and accomplishments for UNITAR-UNOSAT. Our mapping teams delivered 1,136 products and services based on over 300 analyses to partners in 59 countries, with an emphasis on Sub-Saharan and Northern Africa & Western and South-Eastern Asia, but also Latin America and the Caribbean. Much of the data produced was used to assess exposure to and impact of hazards, but also to generate potential flood scenarios for refugee camp planning, assess damages, conduct sectoral analyses, and more. Throughout the ...
Micky Welin's career in disaster risk management (DRM) highlights the intersection of education, proactive initiative, and collaborative efforts in building capacity for disaster preparedness and response. In his capacity as the Planning and Logistics Support Officer at the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in Vanuatu, Micky Welin's journey highlights the transformative potential of targeted capacity-building efforts., The turning point for Micky Welin emerged when he realized the need to acquire advanced skills in geographic information technology (GIT) in the co...
2 October 2020, Geneva, Switzerland – In September, UNOSAT hosted the Regional Technical Webinar Series on Flood Forecasting, Early Warning Systems and Geospatial Information Technology (GIT) for Flood Risk Management for ECOWAS member states. This is part of a wider effort to support the ECOWAS region in building resilience to the flood events it is facing.
In the past weeks, UNOSAT’s rapid mapping services were requested for flood events in Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde and Niger, three ECOWAS member states. Disastrous floods caused by heavy monsoon rains are not only occurri...
04 December 2023, L'viv, Ukraine - Cultural heritage, a cornerstone of identity and a repository of memory and unity has persistently faced threats since the onset of the war in Ukraine. In conflict zones, satellite imagery often serves as the primary tool for accessing accurate, data-backed information regarding the extent of damage to cultural heritage.
In a groundbreaking initiative aimed at preserving Ukraine's cultural legacy, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) through the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) and the United Natio...
UNOSAT and ADPC moved swiftly to implement their recently signed strategic partnership agreement. In April UNOSAT delivered a successful intensive course for trainers (ToT) hosted at the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology, in Bangkok.
The training was delivered to GIS and Remote Sensing analysts working for the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) and The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). The event was part of the activities being implemented by UNOSAT and ADPC under their recently formed partnership intended to develop capacity and transfer knowledge acro...
The work of UNOSAT is not only about emergencies, although the maps you can see on the web all refer to humanitarian assistance. This publication policy is linked to the need for humanitarian workers to access maps from various field locations by simply connecting via internet or via satellite telecommunications to download the maps prepared by UNOSAT on the premises of CERN. Yet a large number of maps and analyses are not publicly available on the UNOSAT website because they are part of project activities done in partnership with UN agencies like UNDP (development), IOM (m...
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on September 6, 2024, between the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the auspices of UNESCO and the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT). The agreement was formalized during the 4th Forum on Earth Observation for Sustainable Development Goals, signaling a major advancement in the use of space technology for the protection of World Heritage sites. The MOU, signed by HIST Director GUO Huadong and UNOSAT Acting Director Marion Barthelemy, represents a five-year commit...