Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 1 Joint Research Centre (JRC) The European Commission s Research-Based Policy Support Organisation The geospatial domain: new ways of addressing the Millennium Development Goals Dr. Alan Belward
220,000,000 t/yr MSG 6 th March 2004 (Source copyright EUMETSAT) Sahara dust figures (Prof Andrew Goudie, Oxford) Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 2 Boston
Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 3 Eradicating poverty Climate Change Managing Resources Avoiding Conflict
MAYAUX et al. 2004, A new land-cover map of Africa for the year 2000, Journal of Biogeography 31 (6), 861-877 Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 4 We take information availability for granted the developing world often can t Knowledge is power Where are resources located? In what quantity? And of what quality? But if knowledge is power Who owns the information? Who has access to the information? Who believes the information? The view from space a neutral, transparent, permanent (yet regular) and globally available source of information
Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 5 350 km 2,400 km Background image VGT 2000 Mosaic (image source JRC, data source CNES )
Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 6 35 km Background image MODIS 10 th January 2005 (source NASA )
Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 7 3.5 km Background image SPOT HRV 10 m March 2005 (image source JRC, data source CNES )
Background image SPOT HRV 2.5 m January 2005 (image source JRC, data source CNES ) Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 8
Background image SPOT HRV 2.5 m March 2005 (image source JRC, data source CNES ) Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 9
Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 10
Source http://www.globaltimber.org.uk/africa.htm Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 11 Tropical Logs Mozambique Nigeria Liberia Ghana Côte d Ivoire D.R. Congo C.A.R. Eq.Guinea Congo Bz. Cameroon Gabon
White Nile Irrigation Scheme pre expansion 1975 And after construction 2000 (images Landsat) Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 12 50,000 km 2 of natural vegetation converted to agriculture every year since the 1970s 2000 1975 50 km
Source: Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat (2007). World Population Prospects: The 2006 Revision, Highlights. New York: United Nations. Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 13 Africa s population has doubled since 1970s less land per person Increasing pressure on environment and population food insecurity conflict and migration Number of persons (millions) 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Population changes 1950-2050 Africa Europe N. America 1950 1975 2007 2050 Year
1963 (Declassified KH series military) Courtesy USGS Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 14
15 th January 2008 (MODIS) Courtesy NASA Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 15
Source: JRC Food Security, O. Leo, Agrifish Unit http://mars.jrc.it/ and http://www.marsop.info/ ) Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 16 Improving Africa s food security 20 years experience of agricultural monitoring in Europe is being adapted for Africa European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts daily data and climatology, plus meteorological data Land cover, vegetation condition and rainfall estimates from satellite Dedicated crop production models Crop and rangeland condition are assessed throughout the growing season, with regular bulletins produced highlighting vulnerability Close collaboration with UN s Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Food Program for in country assessments is maintained METEO Remote Sensing Crop models Statistics Expertise
Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 17 Direct access to information Information on location and condition of resources, on food security and for humanitarian assistance issues is produced on an operational basis Information and Communications Technology links information producers with policy (and other) users across Africa Land cover Land use MSG Status of Protected areas HotBird-6 4 mbit/s Soil type Ku-band and condition Vegetation condition and crop yield AtlanticBird-3 2 mbit/s C-band Direct information feed to Africa EUMETCast Uplink Usingen Germany Europe s Users Deforestation, illegal logging, water availability, fire Fucino Ku-band to C-band Italy conversion Africa s Users
Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14 th 18 th February 2008 18 Earth observation for Africa, with Africa Earth observation technology is improving the availability, quality and quantity of information concerning Africa s environment and natural resources Africa does not stand alone we are all connected, all affected A new partnership has now been put in place to foster wider and deeper uses; GMES for Africa http://lunar.jrc.it/afobs/