Group on Earth Observations (GEO)

We're wrapping up #COP16Colombia with a powerhouse lineup at our Global Ecosystems Atlas proof-of-concept launch event. Join GEO and partners at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia, TODAY at 6pm in the Cocora room. This will be a must-attend event for anyone considering how to future-proof our planet against the pressing challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and land degradation. Confirmed speakers: - Inger Andersen, UN Environment Programme, Executive Director - Astrid Schomaker, UN Biodiversity Secretariat, Executive Secretary, - Yana Gevorgyan, GEO Secretariat, Director - H.E. Tore O. Sandvik, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway - H.E. Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Maldives - Honourable Narend Singh, Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa - Nicholas Murray, Global Ecosystems Atlas, Scientific Lead - Marco Lambertini, Nature Positive Initiative, Convener & Secretariat Executive Chair - Ted Schmitt, Ai2, Senior Director of Conservation - Sean Breyer, Esri, Program Manager for ArcGIS - Amy Nguyen, consultant, writer and researcher (moderator) #COP16Colombia #EarthIntelligenceforAll #MapEcosystems

Technology is a recurring theme here on #Cop16Colombia, as more broadly in Global Development. Producing Global Digital Goods has become an important strategy for Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. We work through the Digital Public Goods Alliance with partners like Co-Develop UNDP UNICEF and others. In the Environmental space, we have created digital public goods that are crucial for comservation and climate mitigation, like Global Forest Watch. With partners like Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Google World Resources Institute and others. Now we are stepping up, implmenting an open policy throughout this space. Digitalisation, and new technologies like Generative AI, carry great opportunities. They become bigher and more godt-effective If we svare them, and create digital public goods. Thanks to fellow panelists Rebecca Moore Crystal Davis Reina Otsuka and Yana Gevorgyan Liv Marte Nordhaug Tale Jordbakke Christer Gundersen Ida Hellmark Håvard Mokleiv Nygård Per Fredrik Ilsaas Pharo

🤯 Wow! Fantastic session at the GEO #COP16Colombia pavilion on how open data and AI are transforming biodiversity conservation.   Moderated by GEO Secretariat Director Yana Gevorgyan, we got an inside look at how cutting-edge tech is helping tackle planetary crises.   Bård Vegar Solhjell of Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation gave an inspiring opening speech, and dropped a special announcement:   "All data we invest in across climate, nature, and development will be open to non-commercial partners, so everyone can contribute to solving the planet's biggest challenges."   Then we had Rebecca Moore and Crystal Davis spotlighting breakthroughs in Earth observation tech like Google Earth Engine and Global Forest Watch, showing how AI and open data can make real-time monitoring possible.   Reina Otsuka from UNDP presented innovative ideas around the concept of a "Nature ID", a new protocol that could allow diverse ecological data collection with indigenous community involvement. Inspired by the growing trend toward openness and knowledge-sharing, we are developing the Global Ecosystems Atlas with great partners like Ai2 and Esri. Building on the efforts of our peers and collaborators, the Atlas will help us view nature through a shared lens and promote coherence across policies and actions.

A proud moment... We launched the Global Ecosystems Atlas proof-of-concept at a press conference at #COP16Colombia last week. #MapEcosystems Hear what GEO Secretariat Director Yana Gevorgyan had to say – and then check out the Atlas ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eyiRZT9T

🪸 The Maldives is home to some of the most diverse, unique and delicate biodiversity on the planet. 🏢 But rapid urbanisation and tourism development have heightened the need for a sustainable balance between progress and preservation of biodiversity. 🗺️ As one of the first nations to engage with the Global Ecosystems Atlas, the Maldives is setting the pace in ecosystem mapping and conservation. 🤝 The Global Ecosystems Atlas Maldives Accelerator initiative – powered by GEO and leading tech partners like Ai2 and Esri – is supporting efforts to monitor, protect and manage everything from coral reefs to small but essential mangrove areas. "We have been trying to do something like this for a very long time. So now the dream is starting to be realised and we look forward to developing a map of all ecosystems for the whole country that organisations and regional parties can use in their work," said Ahmed Shan, Senior Surveyor, Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Maldives, during a session at the GEO #COP16Colombia pavilion. Also speaking were Ai2's Mark Otterlee and Atlas Scientific Lead Nicholas Murray in a session moderated by GEO's Sara Venturini. Read more about the Maldives Accelerator initiative ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eRfgx6JU #MapEcosystems

A frequently heard term in our #COP16Colombia pavilion: "crosswalk" refers to the process of aligning different ecosystem classification systems. ❎🚶 South Africa and Mozambique are neighbouring countries home to a range of ecosystems. Yet they face pressures from habitat loss, extraction of natural resources and climate change. Mozambique has developed national ecosystem maps, enhanced by collaboration with South Africa – and here's where the crosswalk comes in. "We established a crosswalk with South Africa to ensure Mozambique’s ecosystem classification aligns with our neighbours – same approach, same language of conservation, tailored to our national priorities," said Hermenegildo Matimele of Wildlife Conservation Society Mozambique at our pavilion event. These ecosystems maps are vital tools in determining the state of ecosystems and prioritising areas for conservation and restoration. Read more about this cross-border collaboration ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/ec9SpSfs

Good morning, #COP16Colombia. Join us today at 4.45pm in the GEO pavilion for a session on the potential of open data and AI to accelerate protection and sustainable use of #biodiversity. 🗣️ Crystal Davis / Tanya Birch / Reina Otsuka / Bård Vegar Solhjell / Rebecca Moore / Yana Gevorgyan And before that: 13:15 - 14:45 | Ai2 | EarthSystem - Harnessing AI for Environmental Impact 15:00 - 16:30 | Esri | Advancing Community-Led Conservation with the Jane Goodall Institute's Tacare Solutions and GIS

Another busy day ahead at #COP16Colombia in our pavilion. Be sure to stop by at 5pm to hear about the groundbreaking “accelerator” initiative of the Global Ecosystems Atlas in the Maldives. Get a sneak peek at the case study here ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eRfgx6JU Full schedule for the day: 10:00-11:30 | GEO BON | Genetic diversity indicator and implementation 11:45-13:00 | GEO BON |  Meeting the needs of subnational governments for biodiversity data assessment 13:15-14:45 | Ai2 | Transforming Wildlife Conservation with the Support of EarthRanger 15:00-16:30 | GEO BON | A Multidimensional Biodiversity Index for Colombia – Pilot results 17:00-18:15 | GEO | The Maldives Accelerator: Building a National Ecosystems Map

We've just wrapped up an inspiring session at our #COP16Colombia pavilion on how the Global Ecosystems Atlas can support the Global #Biodiversity Framework indicators. 🤔 Key takeaway: Collective action and robust data will transform the way we monitor and protect ecosystems. From UN Biodiversity's Jillian Campbell we heard about the transformative role of national data systems that contribute directly to policy, before Atlas Technical Lead Nicholas Murray gave an inside look at the technical process of creating the Atlas. Emily Nicholson walked us through how the Atlas can support key ecosystem health indicators. Hermenegildo Matimele provided context and inspiration from Mozambique, illustrating how ecosystem maps can align with national priorities, driven by local expertise. The session was moderated by Atlas science lead Mandy Driver, who emphasised that the Atlas will make it easier than ever for countries to track ecosystems and address key biodiversity targets. #MapEcosystems See the Global Ecosystems Atlas for yourself ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/gRTAsejS

I'm excited to share that I’ll be speaking at The Maldives Accelerator: Building a National Ecosystems Map, a side event at COP16, organized by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Secretariat. This initiative will unveil the Maldives’ first comprehensive national ecosystems map, aligned with IUCN’s Global Ecosystem Typing (GET) standards - an essential step for biodiversity conservation in the Maldives. This project showcases the integration of local expertise with innovative technologies from the Global Ecosystems Atlas, presenting a scalable model that could benefit conservation efforts worldwide. I'll be joining a fantastic panel of experts, Mandy Driver, Technical Strategy Lead, Global Ecosystems Atlas, Nicholas Murray, Scientific Lead, Global Ecosystems Atlas and Mark Otterlee, Senior Director of Engineering, AI2 to discuss how this approach could be applied in Maldives and beyond. Join us on October 26, 17:00-18:00, at the GEO Pavilion, Plaza 3, Blue Zone, as we explore this transformative project! More information: https://lnkd.in/gnX7rqwG #COP16Colombia #PeaceWithNature #MaldivesAccelerator #BiodiversityConservation #GlobalEcosystemsAtlas #Sustainability #G