SESSIONS
Big Data and Frontier Tech: Powering the Transition to a Sustainable Future
DAY
Thursday, 18 February 2021
TIME
15:30 – 19:00
Co-convened with The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and Technology Partners
For 68 per cent of the environment-related SDG indicators there is not enough data to assess progress, according to UNEP studies which also found that towards all 12 of the SDGs targets related to the state of the environment, there is either no data or no progress made.
To achieve the environmental dimension of the SDGs, it is essential to scale up environmental action that is backed by adequate knowledge. A task that is only achievable through the deployment of the latest technologies, including earth observations, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and the Internet of Things.
Sessions under this track will review opportunities presented by UNEP’s new Medium-Term Strategy – due to be adopted by the UN Environment Assembly in February 2021 – and examine the multi-sector collaboration required towards its implementation. It will review progress made in the development of UNEP’s Big Data Strategy and the World Environment Situation Room – including support and data integrations and analysis at the national level. The session will aim to identify gaps, priorities and opportunities for action.
The Group on Earth Observations will report back on outcomes of the Earth Observations Indigenous Summit, with a focus on how satellite imagery can improve disaster risk management for indigenous communities. GEO will also provide an overview of its current work and future ambitions.
In cooperation with the European Parliament’s special committee on AI and the Green Deal, the session will explore elements related to legislation, equity, democracy and transparency related to the technology use and the equitable sharing of Big Data products and services.
To date, over 20 Member States have voiced their support to establish a Data for the Environment Alliance (DEAL). The session, for the first time, will present how this work is shaping up and the opportunities it presents.
Key technology partners (including IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, Huawei, Google Earth Engine, Dassault Systèmes) will provide an overview of how their technologies are transforming our understanding of and actions for the planet. New initiatives and collaborations will be launched that directly contribute to UNEP’s work and the vision presented in its Medium-Term Strategy.
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021 -2030, led by UNEP and FAO, is establishing a Digital Hub to facilitate the exchange of data and information amongst stakeholders engaged in research, policy formation and implementation.
Session will examine:
- Principles, standards and data ethics; investment frameworks and innovative financing (with contributions from UNEP’s Innovation Branch).
- Lessons learnt from projects such as the Biodiversity Observation Network, Climate Trace and GHG Tracking.
Key contributors: UNEP Digital Transformation Task Force; The World Environment Situation Room; UNEP’s Innovation Branch; Data for the Environment Alliance initiative (DEAL), NASA, Copernicus, the Chinese Earth Observations Institute, One Planet Network, the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, the Citizen Science Global Partnership, Tongji University, Space Climate Observatory (SCO), The European Parliament Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age, UNEP-WCMC, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, Google Earth Engine, Dassault Systèmes, Soul Machines, Descartes Labs, Planet
SPEAKERS
Tbc.