Andrew Yee[_1_]
April 18th 08, 06:15 PM
Joint release:
The World Bank
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Contact:
The World Bank
In Washington:
Sergio Jellinek (202) 458-2841
Stevan Jackson (202) 458-5054
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Public Affairs Department
Marunouchi Kitaguchi Building
1-6-5, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8260
Japan
TEL: +81-3-6266-6400 / Fax: +81-3-6266-6910
April 18, 2008 (JST)
Latin America: Sophisticated Japanese Satellite System (ALOS) will provide
advanced data to better adapt to climate threats
WASHINGTON -- Up-to-the-minute-data and expertise derived
from the Advanced Land Observation Satellite (ALOS) developed and
operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will
contribute a better formulation of measures to adapt to climate change
threats in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to an agreement
signed today between JAXA and the World Bank.
ALOS will be used by the World Bank as an effective tool to detect
changes in vulnerable ecosystems region wide. ALOS capabilities will
enhance the World Bank's adaptation initiatives in Latin America and
the Caribbean.
Using highly advanced instrumentation, ALOS capabilities includes
capturing high resolution photos of land cover and natural resources.
ALOS images and data will be used in support of World Bank adaptation
projects in Colombia, Mexico, the Andes region of Peru, Bolivia and
Ecuador and the West Indies. Images taken by ALOS of the tropical
glaciers in the Andes are already being facilitated and used for the
assessment of glacier dynamics under an adaptation project in the
region.
"It represents a big step forward for our institution and our partners
to have access to a state of the art system capable of high resolution
imaging," says Laura Tuck, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable
Development. "Climate change impacts will impose a heavy tax on the
economies of the region, in particular on the poor. Adaptation to
climate change is key given the severe and largely irreversible effects
in the region," Tuck added.
"We hope that ALOS will make invaluable contributions to the Bank's
projects in Latin American countries. This agreement will facilitate
it through scientific and technical exchange including technical
expertise and capacity building." explains Dr. Yasushi Horikawa, JAXA
Executive Director. "This agreement represents a significant first
step in our new partnership to tackle our common agenda of global
environmental problems both on the ground and in space."
ALOS will directly improve the delivery of a series of adaptation
programs being develop by the World Bank in the field of adaptation
to climate change projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, among
them:
* Regional Adaptation to the Impact of Rapid Glacier Retreat in the
Tropical Andes Project (Regional Andes Project) in Bolivia, Ecuador,
and Peru, co-financed by the Global Environment Facility, with a
focus on the mountain and glaciated areas;
* Integrated National Adaptation Program (INAP) in Colombia, co-
financed by the Global Environment Facility, with a focus on biomass
density and land cover in high-mountain (Paramos and Glaciers) and
coastal (wetlands and mangroves) ecosystems;
* Adaptation to Climate Impacts in the Gulf of Mexico in Mexico, co-
financed by the Global Environmental Facility, forest and coastal
wetland ecosystems; and
* Support to the Caribbean: Implementation of Adaptation Measures in
Coastal Zones (SPACC) project in Dominica, Saint Lucia, and St.
Vincent and the Grenadines, co-financed by the Global Environment
Facility, with a focus on coastal ecosystems and mangroves.
"Gaining access to this valuable data will help the World Bank in its
efforts to support Latin American Countries better adapt to climate
change," says Walter Vergara, World Bank Lead Chemical Engineer and
Task Manager of a portfolio of adaptation projects in Latin America.
"ALOS has three detectors that allow very high resolution of land
cover, unsurpassed by other alternative means in coverage and accuracy.
This will allow countries in the region to monitor the evolution of
land cover and landforms, including the extent of tropical glaciers,
the evolution of mountain and coastal wetlands and even the status of
coral reefs, as an input for decision making in adaptation," Vergara
added.
As of April 15, 2008, total investment in adaptation in Latin America
totaled, including World Bank Support reached US$90 million.
For more information on the World Bank's work in the area of Climate
Change in Latin America, please visit:
http://www.worldbank.org/lac
Mission website: Advanced Land Observing Satellite "Daichi"(ALOS) [JAXA],
http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/alos/index_e.html
The World Bank
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Contact:
The World Bank
In Washington:
Sergio Jellinek (202) 458-2841
Stevan Jackson (202) 458-5054
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Public Affairs Department
Marunouchi Kitaguchi Building
1-6-5, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8260
Japan
TEL: +81-3-6266-6400 / Fax: +81-3-6266-6910
April 18, 2008 (JST)
Latin America: Sophisticated Japanese Satellite System (ALOS) will provide
advanced data to better adapt to climate threats
WASHINGTON -- Up-to-the-minute-data and expertise derived
from the Advanced Land Observation Satellite (ALOS) developed and
operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will
contribute a better formulation of measures to adapt to climate change
threats in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to an agreement
signed today between JAXA and the World Bank.
ALOS will be used by the World Bank as an effective tool to detect
changes in vulnerable ecosystems region wide. ALOS capabilities will
enhance the World Bank's adaptation initiatives in Latin America and
the Caribbean.
Using highly advanced instrumentation, ALOS capabilities includes
capturing high resolution photos of land cover and natural resources.
ALOS images and data will be used in support of World Bank adaptation
projects in Colombia, Mexico, the Andes region of Peru, Bolivia and
Ecuador and the West Indies. Images taken by ALOS of the tropical
glaciers in the Andes are already being facilitated and used for the
assessment of glacier dynamics under an adaptation project in the
region.
"It represents a big step forward for our institution and our partners
to have access to a state of the art system capable of high resolution
imaging," says Laura Tuck, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable
Development. "Climate change impacts will impose a heavy tax on the
economies of the region, in particular on the poor. Adaptation to
climate change is key given the severe and largely irreversible effects
in the region," Tuck added.
"We hope that ALOS will make invaluable contributions to the Bank's
projects in Latin American countries. This agreement will facilitate
it through scientific and technical exchange including technical
expertise and capacity building." explains Dr. Yasushi Horikawa, JAXA
Executive Director. "This agreement represents a significant first
step in our new partnership to tackle our common agenda of global
environmental problems both on the ground and in space."
ALOS will directly improve the delivery of a series of adaptation
programs being develop by the World Bank in the field of adaptation
to climate change projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, among
them:
* Regional Adaptation to the Impact of Rapid Glacier Retreat in the
Tropical Andes Project (Regional Andes Project) in Bolivia, Ecuador,
and Peru, co-financed by the Global Environment Facility, with a
focus on the mountain and glaciated areas;
* Integrated National Adaptation Program (INAP) in Colombia, co-
financed by the Global Environment Facility, with a focus on biomass
density and land cover in high-mountain (Paramos and Glaciers) and
coastal (wetlands and mangroves) ecosystems;
* Adaptation to Climate Impacts in the Gulf of Mexico in Mexico, co-
financed by the Global Environmental Facility, forest and coastal
wetland ecosystems; and
* Support to the Caribbean: Implementation of Adaptation Measures in
Coastal Zones (SPACC) project in Dominica, Saint Lucia, and St.
Vincent and the Grenadines, co-financed by the Global Environment
Facility, with a focus on coastal ecosystems and mangroves.
"Gaining access to this valuable data will help the World Bank in its
efforts to support Latin American Countries better adapt to climate
change," says Walter Vergara, World Bank Lead Chemical Engineer and
Task Manager of a portfolio of adaptation projects in Latin America.
"ALOS has three detectors that allow very high resolution of land
cover, unsurpassed by other alternative means in coverage and accuracy.
This will allow countries in the region to monitor the evolution of
land cover and landforms, including the extent of tropical glaciers,
the evolution of mountain and coastal wetlands and even the status of
coral reefs, as an input for decision making in adaptation," Vergara
added.
As of April 15, 2008, total investment in adaptation in Latin America
totaled, including World Bank Support reached US$90 million.
For more information on the World Bank's work in the area of Climate
Change in Latin America, please visit:
http://www.worldbank.org/lac
Mission website: Advanced Land Observing Satellite "Daichi"(ALOS) [JAXA],
http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/alos/index_e.html