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Copernicus' support to Sustainable Development Goals and International Agreements' Industry workshop 
24/01/2019 – Brussels, Belgium

In 2015, the members of the United Nations adopted a set of ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals aim to address the world’s most pressing challenges over the next fifteen years, such as ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity for all. In order to measure and monitor progress towards the 17 SDGs and 169 associated targets, the UN has established a global list of indicators which will serve as a common benchmark for regular reporting of overall progress. Each target has between 1 and 3 indicators used to measure progress toward reaching the targets https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs

“Earth observations offer unprecedented opportunities to modernise national statistical systems and improve the capacities of countries to efficiently track all facets of sustainable development. Satellite data has a role to play in relation to most of the 17 Goals and around a quarter of the Targets”, Satellite Earth Observations in support of the Sustainable Development Goals, 2018. http://eohandbook.com/sdg/files/CEOS_EOHB_2018_SDG.pdf

The Copernicus programme is a powerful instrument to help reporting on these SDG indicators and to provide the relevant information in support of effective monitoring of progress towards the SDG targets and compliancy with the International Agreements. The unprecedented amount of data and information generated by Copernicus supports decision-makers in developing adequate policies to achieve the goals and facilitates the monitoring of the SDGs and International Agreements. It is available on a full, free and open basis, which reduces the cost of monitoring measures indicators. It also allows for the development of operational products and services.

In the international context, the EU and its Member States are also Parties to many multi-lateral environmental agreements which address among others: biodiversity and nature protection, climate change, desertification, management of chemicals and waste, transboundary water and air pollution, industrial accidents, maritime and river protection, environmental liability, etc. As signatories of the treaties, the EU and its Member States are committed to respect the treaties and conventions, but the EU is also committed to help developing countries in meeting their obligations. The implementation and monitoring of the agreements are highly dependent from the quality and regularity of the available information.

So, the systematic Earth Observation data and information provision by Copernicus helps assist governments and stakeholders in developing strategies and actions to assess, track and attain the goals that are formulated in these different international agreements/conventions like, for example, the Ramsar convention on Wetlands, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to name a few. As for the SDG, Earth Observation is an essential tool helping meet reporting and information gathering obligations.

Against this background, the Copernicus' support to SDGs and International Agreements' Industry Workshop has the following objectives:

• to display the role of EO data and information in support of the assessment of the progress to achieve the SDGs, to answer to the needs of international conventions/agreements
• to present specifically the potential contribution of the Copernicus full, free and open data and services' information products;
• to present and discuss the potential Copernicus service evolution in the context of SDGs and International Agreements.

The workshop will be organised around 4 sessions featuring Climate Change, Marine, Land and Inland Waters and Atmosphere (and their related SDGs and International Agreements).

Summary

Agenda

Travel

Workshop venue

European Commission - DG GROW
Address: Avenue d'Auderghem 45, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
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The workshop venue is walking distance (5 minutes) from Schuman metro station. There is a train connection between Schuman and BRU Airport and the journey takes about 35 minutes.
To check timetables and book tickets please click here.

The website stib-mivb.be provides real-time information and updates about public transport and has a supporting smartphone app.

Contact Information