Displaying 51 - 60 of 114
The UNITAR Operational Satellite Training Programme (UNOSAT) contributes to human security, peace and socio-economic development by providing integrated satellite-based solutions for governments as well as relief and development organizations within and outside the UN system. As part of its capacity development activities, a two-week training programme took place in Bhutan, with support from the State of Qatar. With funding through the newly-established Strategic Framework Fund, the programme aimed to enhance the use of geospatial technologies for evidence-based decision ma...
More than 15 analytical maps and reports have been produced by the UNOSAT team of satellite analysts in support to various UN humanitarian agencies and the UN Humanitarian Air Service since March. As the situation deteriorated due to the intensifying military activities in and around various cities on the coast, larger numbers of civilians found themselves trapped in conflict areas sometimes subject to heavy shelling, with slim chances to be reached by humanitarian relief or evacuated to safer areas.
The data available from commercial optical satellites is purchased a...
4 June 2021, Geneva, Switzerland - The Nyiragongo volcano, situated northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) started erupting on 22nd May at night. The fast-running lava flows and intense seismic activity threatened millions of people in this border region with Rwanda and called for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands.
UNOSAT’s rapid mapping service was activated on 23 May 2021 morning by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Goma, DRC. The activation covered the area around Goma, DRC, and Gisenyi, Rwanda...
The Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) brings together nine UN and multilateral organizations that aim to strengthen international cooperation on chemical safety and improve coordination of their own chemicals-related policies and activities through the IOMC.
The IOMC Toolbox for Decision Making in Chemicals Management Project is a logical response to increasing needs and demands from policymakers working within developing and transitional economies. The toolbox was developed to provide an easy, web-based access to a consolidated libr...
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...
Thanks to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between UNESCO and UNITAR in 2015, and building on our previous two reports on damage to archeological sites in Syria (2014) and in Syria, Iraq, Nepal, and Yemen (2015), satellite imagery analysis is now a routine tool for assessing potential damage to cultural heritage sites.
The complementary roles of UNESCO and UNITAR-UNOSAT are important as they ensure an objective UN assessment of the status of cultural heritage, free from political bias and founded on scientific methods. This comprehensive study has revealed significan...
The devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti resulted in an outpouring of relief and an unprecedented variety of crowdsourcing efforts. UNOSAT was heavily involved in damage assessment and analysis activities, ingesting data from the crowd but also synthesizing lessons learned from previous emergencies. The work was conducted in integrated and participatory involving the European Commission Joint Research Centre and the World Bank-GFDRR, the Haitian National Centre for Geo-Spatial Information, Swisstopo and the University of Zurich. This widespread effort combined im...
Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Executive Director, UNITAROn 16 December 2024, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Michelle Gyles-McDonnough of Jamaica as the new Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). With more than 30 years’ experience in sustainable development, policy advocacy, international trade and international relations, and change management in complex bureaucracies, Ms. Gyles-McDonnough has held multiple leadership roles withi...
In the dynamic landscape of humanitarian response, UNOSAT's emergency mapping service celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of groundbreaking achievements in emergency mapping.
Established in 2003, UNOSAT's Emergency Mapping service offers critical satellite image analysis during humanitarian crises such as disasters, complex emergencies, and conflict situations. With an unwavering commitment to 24/7 availability throughout the year, a team of seasoned analysts ensures the prompt delivery of satellite imagery-derived maps, reports, and data tailored for dire...
3 November 2022, Accra, Ghana - The Group on Earth Observation and the Earth Observations for Sustainable Development Goals (EO4SDG) Initiative announced the winners of the 2022 GEO SDG Awards at GEO Week 2022. The United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) received the GEO Participating Organization Award for its Emergency Mapping service, recognizing the productivity, innovation, novelty and exemplary efforts in the use of Earth observations to support sustainable development. Launched in 2019, this annual award is presented to those making an impact on the 1...