GeoTalks
Once a month the UN Geospatial Network convenes short GeoTalks session which aim to increase the awareness on the contribution of the geospatial data and expertise for Member States, the United Nations and beyond for better decision-making and data-driven action. The GeoTalks are short “get to know your geo” sessions to share knowledge on the latest geospatial innovation, data to understand our world, and meeting geo-experts from the United Nations system.
This tenth session of GeoTalks on 28 March 2024, hosted by the Vice Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Mr. Andrea Manara, Senior System Analyst in the International Telecommunication Union. The topic of the GeoTalks was “GeoAI for Good”.
The presentation slides focused on use cases demonstrating the usage of Artificial Intelligence to solve geospatial problems for advancing the SDGs and the current activities on GeoAI and Education at the AI for Good Summit.
This ninth session of GeoTalks on 15 December November 2023, hosted by the Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Ms. Rohini Swaminathan, Head Geospatial Support Unit in the World Food Programme. The topic of the GeoTalks was “Geospatial for humanitarian assistance”.
In WFP, geospatial information is used to support both the humanitarian and development operations. During sudden-onset disasters WFP's Advanced Disaster Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) helps to make evidence-based decisions throughout the emergency cycle - from preparedness to early warning and response.
This eighth session of GeoTalks on 22 November 2023, hosted by the Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Mr. Mohamed Bakr, Geospatial Information Officer at the International Organization for Migration. The topic of the GeoTalks was “Monitoring and reporting human mobility using geospatial information and tools”.
In IOM, DTM geospatial information helps to gather, analyze and disseminate critical multi layered data and information on the mobility, vulnerabilities, and needs of displaced and mobile populations. The data and information enables decision makers and responders to provide these populations with better context specific assistance, particularly for emergency response.
This seventh session of GeoTalks on 27 October 2023, hosted by the Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Ms. Tala Hussein, Program Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The topic of the GeoTalks was “Geospatial for supporting sustainable development efforts”.
UNDP developed its GeoHub as a centralized ecosystem of geospatial data and services to support development policy makers and to connects geospatial knowledge and know-how across the organization to enhance evidence-based decision making with relevant data-led insights.
This sixth session of GeoTalks on 23 June 2023, hosted by the Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Mr. Mark Iliffe, Geospatial Officer at the United Nations Statistics Division servicing the united Nations Group of Expert on Geographical Names. The topic of the GeoTalks was "Geographical names".
The United Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN) World Geographical Names Database is a repository of the short and full names of countries, their capitals, and major cities (with population over 100,000) in a multilingual, multi-scriptural and geo-referenced format. Geographic names are one of the 14 Global Fundamental Geospatial Data Themes. Authoritative city endonyms are provided mainly by national name authorities and sound files are being added to assist users with pronunciation. The need for an authoritative depository of geographic names under the purview of the Group of Experts is a topic with a long and storied history within UNGEGN. The WGN Database offers the technological foundation with which to manage an authoritative depository of geographic names, not just for cities and countries, but also to help the Group to demonstrate how geographical names connect people to geographic location and why geographical names matter as part of the broader recognition of culture, heritage and language. At its 2023 session, the Group of Experts adopted Decision 3/2023/17 and formally launched the redeveloped World Geographic Names Database. To date, the Database contains toponyms, endonyms, and exonyms of features detailing over 2,700 country names, some 6,100 names for 3,362 cities, with more than 970 audio files.
This fifth session of GeoTalks on 26 May 2023, hosted by the Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Mr. Ravi Shankar Santana, Head of the GIS Centre for Health at the World Health Organization. The topic of the GeoTalks was "Geolocated Health Facilities Data initiative".
The Geolocated Health Facilities Data initiative aims to strengthen planning and decision-making using with accurate and accessible health facility master lists. Every country faces the challenging task of keeping its people healthy. From delivering primary care in rural communities and urban centers to addressing health crises like pandemics, each country needs accurate and reliable data to plan and deliver quality health services. Ministries of Health can benefit from leveraging geospatial data to better plan, monitor and implement timely health interventions; inform decision-making; and collaborate across sectors and regions to better serve communities. However, many countries currently miss out on these benefits because they lack a single source of standardized and regularly updated health facility data.
This fourth session of GeoTalks on 28 April 2023, hosted by the Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Ms. Amélie Gagnon, Senior Programme Officer at the International Institute for Education of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The topic of the GeoTalks was “Educational facilities and planning”.
Educational planning is about ensuring the most efficient implementation of policies over a territory. Therefore, geospatial data that ministries of education use can range from the topographic (what are the natural barriers to get to school?) to the public infrastructure (where are power lines, and roads?), to other key elements of social life (population settlements, water points, health centres, etc.). This short talk goes over the complexity of planning for the delivery of educational services, and how geospatial data feeds directly into models prepared by ministries of education.
This third session of GeoTalks on 24 March 2023, hosted by the Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Mr. Matieu Henry, Acting Head of the Geospatial Unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization. The topic of the GeoTalks was “Land cover, land use data and capacity building”.
Land cover is defined as the observed physical cover on the earth’s surface, including vegetation and human constructions. Mapping land cover allows for assessment and monitoring of terrestrial ecosystems and changes within them, which are crucial to the sustainable management of natural resources, environmental protection, food security, and humanitarian programs. Land cover information provides an essential input into geospatial analyses, one that includes observation of the physical environment. FAO is involved in developing and enhancing all aspects of land cover and its applications. This includes: land cover ontology and classification systems, essential to consistency across systems and disciplines for sharing; development of methodologies for operational rapid assessment of land cover and its changes at national, regional and global scale; and helping member countries to meet their need for up-to-date, consistent and detailed land cover and land use information.
This second session of GeoTalks on 24 February 2024, hosted by the Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Ms. Rachel Snow, Director of the Population Branch of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The topic of the GeoTalks was “The Population Data Portal”.
The Population Data Portal is UNFPA’s ultimate data source and tracker for population and development data. It combines the newest population data on topics like sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, family planning, maternal health, or gender based violence gathered from a multiple sources.
This first session of GeoTalks on 27 January 2023, hosted by the Chair of the UN Geospatial Network, welcomed Mr. Pascal Peduzzi, Director of the GRID Geneva of the United Nations Environment Programme. The topic of the GeoTalks was “The World Environment Situation Room”.
The World Environment Situation Room provides federated data system of the best openly accessible environmental data, information and knowledge to support decision-making, policy and action at the global, regional, national and local levels for sustainable development and national planning needs. WESR leverages capacities within a network of partner organizations including UN entities, regional and national organizations, and the established network of GRIDs and collaborating centers. The federated data system brings together over 45 data platforms and 70 data sources.