UN Environment and Google announce strategic partnership to protect our planet

Combining environmental science, big data and unprecedented accessibility, this joint effort aims to expand what the world knows about the impacts of human activity on global ecosystems. The partnership will start with an initial focus on fresh-water ecosystems, such as mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes, aiming in the long-term to establish a platform for open-source data and analysis of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Source: UN Environment press release

UN Environment and Google recently announced a global partnership that promises to change the way we see our planet.

When completed, the platform will leverage Google’s cloud computing and Earth observation public catalogues and for the first time enable governments, NGO’s and the public to track specific environment-related development targets with a user-friendly Google front-end.

“We will only be able to solve the biggest environmental challenges of our time if we get the data right,” Head of UN Environment Erik Solheim said. “UN Environment is excited to be partnering with Google, to make sure we have the most sophisticated online tools to track progress, identify priority areas for our action, and bring us one step closer to a sustainable world.”

Too often, when a country seeks to implement real-time environmental action, they find their efforts halted by gaps in critical data needed to direct those actions safely and effectively. Through this partnership, and Google Earth Engine’s analysis and visualization tools, the world can finally begin to fill those gaps, enabling decision makers to better invest in environmental services.

“We are excited to enable all countries with equal access to the latest technology and information in support of global climate action and sustainable development”, said Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth, Earth Engine & Earth Outreach.

Long term, the partnership hopes to establish a platform for open-source data and analysis of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As an entry point to development, the partnership launches with an initial focus on fresh-water ecosystems including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes. These areas account for 0.01% of the world’s water but provide habitat for almost 10% of the world’s known species and evidence suggests a rapid loss freshwater biodiversity.

Google will periodically produce geospatial maps and data on water-related ecosystems by employing massive parallel cloud computing technology. Satellite imagery and statistics will be generated to assess the extent of change occurring to water bodies, and made freely accessible to ensure nations have the opportunity to track changes, prevent and reverse ecosystem loss.

Other areas of collaboration include advocacy and capacity building activities as well as the development of partnerships with organizations like the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).


Read more:

The UN Environment press release.

Share

Interview

Are We Prepared for the Next Crisis?

Horizon scanning, risk awareness, preparedness. Environmental disclosure can become a lever for companies to exit the current crisis and get ready for future ones. A discussion with Pietro Bertazzi, the Global Director – Policy Engagement at CDP, about what the business and policy spheres can learn from the pandemic so that they aren’t taken by surprise in dealing with climate change.

Article

What We Do Now Will Define the Oceans and Cryosphere of the Future

A new IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere claims that we still have time to avert some of the worst effects of climate change. Although painting a dire picture, which reveals the pervasive effects of global warming, the Report also highlights the significant benefits of limiting global warming by emphasising how lower emission scenarios will have reduced impacts on the wellbeing of oceans and the cryosphere.

Article

Between art and science

By Fabio Cian

Photography has the power to inform and provide a vision of reality that is coloured with emotions and beauty. It can also help raise awareness about the climate crisis, bringing people closer to one of the most important issues of our time through novel interpretations of the past, present and future.