Andrew Yee[_1_]
January 21st 07, 09:04 PM
ESA News
http://www.esa.int
9 January 2007
ESA launches new project to protect biodiversity
The world's biodiversity is vanishing at an unprecedented rate -- around 100
species every day -- due to factors such as land use change and pollution.
Addressing this threat, world governments agreed through the UN Convention
on Biological Diversity to reduce significantly the current rate of
biodiversity loss by 2010. To support this initiative, ESA has kicked off
its new DIVERSITY project.
Biodiversity, the variety of life including ecosystems, species, populations
and genes, is of grave importance for sustaining the planet's six billion
people. The loss of biodiversity threatens our food supplies, energy and
medicines. For instance, up to 80% of the world's population currently
relies on plant and animal-based medicines for their primary health care
needs. The sustainable use of biodiversity's components will not only save
ecosystems and species, but it may also save the foods and medicines of
tomorrow.
"The United Nations Convention on Biodiversity (UNCBD) agreed on a set of
headline indicators to assess the progress made towards this target.
DIVERSITY will make a contribution to the required monitoring efforts that
will help us to determine whether we are making progress and which
management and policy measures are most effective and thereby support
decision-making," the UNCBD Secretariat Robert Ht said.
DIVERSITY project services and products are being developed to relate to the
different areas where Earth observation (EO) technology may contribute to
the conservation and monitoring activities of the different actors involved
in UNCBD in Central America. ESA has identified four main users: the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the
Secretariat of the UNCBD, the Centro American Commission for Environment and
Development (CCAD) and MarViva.
Based on the initial user requirements, the following products and services
will be generated covering the entire Centro American region, one of the
main biodiversity reserves in our planet: Mesoamerican biological corridor
change detection maps; coral reef maps; ocean water quality monitoring
services; and mangrove maps. The projects will also investigate wildlife
migration processes from the Galapagos Islands to Cocos Island. Finally, the
project will provide a global map of dry lands based on existing global
datasets to the UNCBD.
The DIVERSITY project, developed under ESA's Data User Element (DUE)
programme, is being carried out in collaboration with the UNCBD Secretariat
and UNESCO, which, in addition to being a user, is also the main coordinator
between the users and contractors selected by ESA.
"With this activity, ESA and UNESCO are aiming to derive a working
methodology," UNESCO's Mario Hernandez said. "We plan to start deriving
biodiversity indicators, which means that for the first time we will go one
step further in Earth observation measurements -- 'from space to place'."
MarViva, a non-governmental organisation working to promote a more
sustainable use of coastal and marine resources in oceanic and coastal areas
in Latin America and the Caribbean, will use various DIVERSITY products and
services to study the Galapagos and Cocos Islands in the Tropical Eastern
Pacific Marine Corridor.
"We have the responsibility to use these products correctly and to offer
this valuable information to key organisations and decision makers for their
goal of improving the quality of life, keeping the tremendous diversity of
the region protected and making sustainable use of our marine resources, for
our future generations," MarViva's Michael Rothschild said.
Because the development of these products requires different expertise, a
consortium of four organisations -- GeoVille Austria (prime contractor),
Norway's Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, the UK's Marine
Spatial Ecology Lab and France's Collecte Localisation Satellites -- has
been chosen to take the leading role in the technical development of the
services and products.
"DIVERSITY responds directly to key concerns expressed through the
Convention process regarding the future integrity of natural ecosystems, the
survival of species and the goods and services they offer to humankind," the
UNCBD's Ht said. "It also demonstrates the responsible role of the private
sector in offering tools and services for the benefit of the global
community."
Related news
* Ramsar and remote-sensing experts tackle threats to wetlands
http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMVA8PFHTE_index_0.html
In depth
* Data User Element
http://dup.esrin.esa.it/
Related links
* MarViva
http://www.marviva.net/site2004/mainframe.html
* UN Convention on Biodiversity (UNCBD)
http://www.biodiv.org/default.shtml
* UNESCO
http://www.unesco.org
* Centro American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD)
http://www.ccad.ws/
[NOTE: Images supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMC1LSVYVE_index_1.html ]
http://www.esa.int
9 January 2007
ESA launches new project to protect biodiversity
The world's biodiversity is vanishing at an unprecedented rate -- around 100
species every day -- due to factors such as land use change and pollution.
Addressing this threat, world governments agreed through the UN Convention
on Biological Diversity to reduce significantly the current rate of
biodiversity loss by 2010. To support this initiative, ESA has kicked off
its new DIVERSITY project.
Biodiversity, the variety of life including ecosystems, species, populations
and genes, is of grave importance for sustaining the planet's six billion
people. The loss of biodiversity threatens our food supplies, energy and
medicines. For instance, up to 80% of the world's population currently
relies on plant and animal-based medicines for their primary health care
needs. The sustainable use of biodiversity's components will not only save
ecosystems and species, but it may also save the foods and medicines of
tomorrow.
"The United Nations Convention on Biodiversity (UNCBD) agreed on a set of
headline indicators to assess the progress made towards this target.
DIVERSITY will make a contribution to the required monitoring efforts that
will help us to determine whether we are making progress and which
management and policy measures are most effective and thereby support
decision-making," the UNCBD Secretariat Robert Ht said.
DIVERSITY project services and products are being developed to relate to the
different areas where Earth observation (EO) technology may contribute to
the conservation and monitoring activities of the different actors involved
in UNCBD in Central America. ESA has identified four main users: the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the
Secretariat of the UNCBD, the Centro American Commission for Environment and
Development (CCAD) and MarViva.
Based on the initial user requirements, the following products and services
will be generated covering the entire Centro American region, one of the
main biodiversity reserves in our planet: Mesoamerican biological corridor
change detection maps; coral reef maps; ocean water quality monitoring
services; and mangrove maps. The projects will also investigate wildlife
migration processes from the Galapagos Islands to Cocos Island. Finally, the
project will provide a global map of dry lands based on existing global
datasets to the UNCBD.
The DIVERSITY project, developed under ESA's Data User Element (DUE)
programme, is being carried out in collaboration with the UNCBD Secretariat
and UNESCO, which, in addition to being a user, is also the main coordinator
between the users and contractors selected by ESA.
"With this activity, ESA and UNESCO are aiming to derive a working
methodology," UNESCO's Mario Hernandez said. "We plan to start deriving
biodiversity indicators, which means that for the first time we will go one
step further in Earth observation measurements -- 'from space to place'."
MarViva, a non-governmental organisation working to promote a more
sustainable use of coastal and marine resources in oceanic and coastal areas
in Latin America and the Caribbean, will use various DIVERSITY products and
services to study the Galapagos and Cocos Islands in the Tropical Eastern
Pacific Marine Corridor.
"We have the responsibility to use these products correctly and to offer
this valuable information to key organisations and decision makers for their
goal of improving the quality of life, keeping the tremendous diversity of
the region protected and making sustainable use of our marine resources, for
our future generations," MarViva's Michael Rothschild said.
Because the development of these products requires different expertise, a
consortium of four organisations -- GeoVille Austria (prime contractor),
Norway's Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, the UK's Marine
Spatial Ecology Lab and France's Collecte Localisation Satellites -- has
been chosen to take the leading role in the technical development of the
services and products.
"DIVERSITY responds directly to key concerns expressed through the
Convention process regarding the future integrity of natural ecosystems, the
survival of species and the goods and services they offer to humankind," the
UNCBD's Ht said. "It also demonstrates the responsible role of the private
sector in offering tools and services for the benefit of the global
community."
Related news
* Ramsar and remote-sensing experts tackle threats to wetlands
http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMVA8PFHTE_index_0.html
In depth
* Data User Element
http://dup.esrin.esa.it/
Related links
* MarViva
http://www.marviva.net/site2004/mainframe.html
* UN Convention on Biodiversity (UNCBD)
http://www.biodiv.org/default.shtml
* UNESCO
http://www.unesco.org
* Centro American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD)
http://www.ccad.ws/
[NOTE: Images supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMC1LSVYVE_index_1.html ]