Kathmandu, Nepal: A team of Japanese scientists has installed a receiver that will directly provide real time satellite imagery when natural disasters occur in the country. The receiver was installed on the premises of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Khumaltar of Lalitpur, Nepal.
The team led by Shinya Tanaka, senior engineer at Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) installed the receiver. “This satellite receiver will provide direct real time satellite imageries of disaster afflicted areas directly which would help in rapid response mapping and monitoring of major disasters,” said Dr Giriraj Amarnath, remote sensing specialist at ICIMOD. More details...
This platform will enable the participants of the different events during the Symposium to interact virtually, stay updated on the ongoing sessions and provide a room for debate and creative exchanges.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Youth meet on earth observation, Himalayan climate change
Kathmandu, October 1 - A six-day youth forum, ‘Empowering Youth with Earth Observation Information for Climate Actions’ started from Friday where 40 youths from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan.
The forum aims to familiarise the participants with the potential benefits of earth observation derived information, and impart GIS/RS knowledge and skills for using earth observation to address pressing issues related to climate change.More details...
The forum aims to familiarise the participants with the potential benefits of earth observation derived information, and impart GIS/RS knowledge and skills for using earth observation to address pressing issues related to climate change.More details...
Perspectives: The problems to Climate Change Action are at the higher level
Youth Cammp participants who had been attendees to the 2009 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen expressed their frustration: “The issues are hijacked by politics. That’s why already now everyone is talking about COP17 instead of the upcoming Climate Change conference in Mexico. But really we cannot put the blame on the highest level politicians. There are other priorities which determine their behavior at these meetings. Instead, actions by us at the grassroots level actual have a visible impact.”
“The good thing that was achieved through the global Climate Change Debate and the IPCC the environment was put on the policy agenda. Four years ago no Nepali Prime Minister would have been interested to talk about climate change. Today he wouldn’t miss any opportunity and happily goes to Mount Everest basecamp just to make a point. The actual changes really have to take place at the grassroot levels.”
“The good thing that was achieved through the global Climate Change Debate and the IPCC the environment was put on the policy agenda. Four years ago no Nepali Prime Minister would have been interested to talk about climate change. Today he wouldn’t miss any opportunity and happily goes to Mount Everest basecamp just to make a point. The actual changes really have to take place at the grassroot levels.”
The inauguration session of the international Youth Forum
Thirty-nine participants will be taking part in a first-of-its-kind workshop on “Empowering Youth through Earth Observation” from 1-6 October in Kathmandu. They come from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan and 60% are women.
The inauguration session commenced was opened by Ms Bidya Banmali of ICIMOD’s organizing team. “We are very happy to have young people from all these countries here today”. Director General of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development gave his opening remarks: “It is a privilege to host you today. We are delighted that the youth from all over the region have come together to benefit from a week of exchange.” He emphasized that the South Asian youth’s high experience and capacity to connect is a key building blocs for the future. Referring to the week of upcoming events he described the youth forum as the “first and most important rocket” to launch a successful week on earth observation opportunities in the Nepalese capital.
Youth will play an important role in dealing with climate change in the next few years. Their dissemination of information and knowledge in their private and professional lives will be of utmost importance. Secondly, the Forum puts strong impact on climate action. “I am confident you are here because you are interested, aware, optimistic. So please look at the opportunities you face in the future and make positive contributions.” Finally, the topic of Earth Observation creates tremendous opportunities for action. That is why this week it will be a learning week but also a week to ask questions. “You have to help us make these new instruments useful for your work.”
Asoka Fellow Anil Chitrakar then addressed the audience. He likened the global reaction to the knowledge about climate change to a traditional story: A rabbit is jumping in the field. He sees a crow sitting on a tree and asks “What are you doing?” The crow answere: “Nothing.” – “Can I also do nothing?” – “Sure.” So the rabbit sits, does nothing and gets eaten by a wolf. The moral of the story: Only those at the top can afford to do nothing. Mr. Chitrakar encouraged the participants, therefore, to see themselves as leaders and not as victims – a popular view in the region of South Asia, which considers itself as innocent of climate change.
He also expressed the frustration of many about how much analyses and reports have to be written before action follows the words. As a consequence Chitrakar appealed to the spirit of the young, which means to be able to tell yourself “we can do it”. Anger, the willingness to take risks and mistakes are key in changing mindset through a well-educated youth that can also teach its elders. “We have to understand that this is “one earth, one experiment” without a second opportunity. The reason we only have one, makes us poor. We are not trying to serve the world, but ourselves.” In avoiding the problem of the commons we can realize that a small something is much better than a big nothing.
In his inspirational address, NASA representative, Mr Jason Kessler reminded the participants, which were selected out of 750 applications, of the responsibility that comes with the honour and the impressive title. “You were selected because of a passion and a vision within you and it is the keeping of this vision which will help you to excel and to create the world we would like to see.”
The keynote presentation on climate change and earth observation was delivered by MENRIS Division Head Basanta Shrestha. He asked the question on whether there is enough knowledge and how earth observation technology could be used to improve the understanding on issues, such as climate change, biodiversity and disasters. Even if the people of the region have not been contributing to climate change, vulnerabilities have been created and we need to learn to adapt. In order to adapt we need to have the scientific knowledge. Popular earth observation applications are GoogleEarth, Neo-geography, crowd sourcing, cloud computing and infrastructure products such as the MountainGeoportal and SERVIR Himalaya. He closed the session with an appeal to the Youth: “Climate change is a reality and mountain communities are facing the brunt of it - the biggest driver for change is you.”
The inauguration session commenced was opened by Ms Bidya Banmali of ICIMOD’s organizing team. “We are very happy to have young people from all these countries here today”. Director General of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development gave his opening remarks: “It is a privilege to host you today. We are delighted that the youth from all over the region have come together to benefit from a week of exchange.” He emphasized that the South Asian youth’s high experience and capacity to connect is a key building blocs for the future. Referring to the week of upcoming events he described the youth forum as the “first and most important rocket” to launch a successful week on earth observation opportunities in the Nepalese capital.
Youth will play an important role in dealing with climate change in the next few years. Their dissemination of information and knowledge in their private and professional lives will be of utmost importance. Secondly, the Forum puts strong impact on climate action. “I am confident you are here because you are interested, aware, optimistic. So please look at the opportunities you face in the future and make positive contributions.” Finally, the topic of Earth Observation creates tremendous opportunities for action. That is why this week it will be a learning week but also a week to ask questions. “You have to help us make these new instruments useful for your work.”
Asoka Fellow Anil Chitrakar then addressed the audience. He likened the global reaction to the knowledge about climate change to a traditional story: A rabbit is jumping in the field. He sees a crow sitting on a tree and asks “What are you doing?” The crow answere: “Nothing.” – “Can I also do nothing?” – “Sure.” So the rabbit sits, does nothing and gets eaten by a wolf. The moral of the story: Only those at the top can afford to do nothing. Mr. Chitrakar encouraged the participants, therefore, to see themselves as leaders and not as victims – a popular view in the region of South Asia, which considers itself as innocent of climate change.
He also expressed the frustration of many about how much analyses and reports have to be written before action follows the words. As a consequence Chitrakar appealed to the spirit of the young, which means to be able to tell yourself “we can do it”. Anger, the willingness to take risks and mistakes are key in changing mindset through a well-educated youth that can also teach its elders. “We have to understand that this is “one earth, one experiment” without a second opportunity. The reason we only have one, makes us poor. We are not trying to serve the world, but ourselves.” In avoiding the problem of the commons we can realize that a small something is much better than a big nothing.
In his inspirational address, NASA representative, Mr Jason Kessler reminded the participants, which were selected out of 750 applications, of the responsibility that comes with the honour and the impressive title. “You were selected because of a passion and a vision within you and it is the keeping of this vision which will help you to excel and to create the world we would like to see.”
The keynote presentation on climate change and earth observation was delivered by MENRIS Division Head Basanta Shrestha. He asked the question on whether there is enough knowledge and how earth observation technology could be used to improve the understanding on issues, such as climate change, biodiversity and disasters. Even if the people of the region have not been contributing to climate change, vulnerabilities have been created and we need to learn to adapt. In order to adapt we need to have the scientific knowledge. Popular earth observation applications are GoogleEarth, Neo-geography, crowd sourcing, cloud computing and infrastructure products such as the MountainGeoportal and SERVIR Himalaya. He closed the session with an appeal to the Youth: “Climate change is a reality and mountain communities are facing the brunt of it - the biggest driver for change is you.”
Youth Forum in the News
Teams of Kantipur Television, Nepal News and ABC Television (in Nepali) are reporting during their daily news hour on the kick off event of the Youth Forum on Empowering through Earth Observation
Successful Opening of the Youth Forum - Voices from the Speakers
ICIMOD DG Andreas Schild: "“We are very proud and happy to have young people and Climate Champions from all the region here today”
Anil Chitrakar: Understand “one earth, one experiment” there is no 2nd chance. We are not trying to serve the world, but us."
Jason Kessler: "I encourage you to take full responsibility. Share your lessons with those around you. To make the greatest difference."
Basanta Shrestha: "Climate Change, Biodiversity, disaster - Do we know enough, how can earth observation tech improve our understanding?”
Anil Chitrakar: Understand “one earth, one experiment” there is no 2nd chance. We are not trying to serve the world, but us."
Jason Kessler: "I encourage you to take full responsibility. Share your lessons with those around you. To make the greatest difference."
Basanta Shrestha: "Climate Change, Biodiversity, disaster - Do we know enough, how can earth observation tech improve our understanding?”
Youth Forum from 1-6 October at ICIMOD
The first Youth Forum on Earth Observation will kick off today with a week-long events surrounding the Symposium “Benefiting from Earth Observation” at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). The forum is organized by ICIMOD together with the Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN), Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA), and the GIS Society of Nepal. The forum was organized in the framework of the SERVIR-Himalaya Youth Initiative, and was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The event brings together youth from the region and all the ICIMOD member countries with an aim to familiarize them with the potential benefits of earth observation for addressing climate change related issues. At the same time they are provided with a platform for sharing and learning of experiences in the extended Himalayan region. The forty attendants are true “climate champions” as they were selected from 750 applications based on individual essays, their fields of studies and their social involvement, to provide a representative cross-sectional sample of voices from across the region.
The Youth Forum will be inaugurated by dignitaries, like ICIMOD’s Director General Andreas Schild, Ashoka Fellow Anil Chitrakar, and Jason Kessler from NASA. Basanta Shrestha, coordinator of the event and the Division Head of MENRIS, ICIMOD, is looking forward to the event. “While the usage of Earth Observation is beneficial in multiple contexts, youths are “agents of change” and communicators in their communities, as well as in regional and international arenas.”
Over the upcoming week the participants will get exposed to the general themes of 1) Climate Change and the Himalayas and 2) Understanding Earth Observation. A considerable part of the Forum will be hands-on exercises familiarizing the participants with basic Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (RS/GIS) skills, case studies related to use of EO in climate actions, and internet related resources such as GoogleEarth. The sessions will focus on issues such as snow and land cover change, disaster management and air quality. The last two days of the Forum are dedicated to project work preparing the youths to take local action in the community.
The Youth Forum has been designed to provide a regional platform to share and learn from each other. ICIMOD is already supporting youth network group, namely the Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA) which focuses on bringing together different civil society stakeholders at a national and international level on climate change issues. It is expected that the youth groups represented at the Forum will help to further disseminate the information about earth observation and the SERVIR-Himalaya initiative in their communities, the media and the public.
Throughout the Forum this blog will keep you updated on the proceedings, opinions and ideas presented. Please also check out our twitter page @earthsymposium for live commenting and coverage.
The event brings together youth from the region and all the ICIMOD member countries with an aim to familiarize them with the potential benefits of earth observation for addressing climate change related issues. At the same time they are provided with a platform for sharing and learning of experiences in the extended Himalayan region. The forty attendants are true “climate champions” as they were selected from 750 applications based on individual essays, their fields of studies and their social involvement, to provide a representative cross-sectional sample of voices from across the region.
The Youth Forum will be inaugurated by dignitaries, like ICIMOD’s Director General Andreas Schild, Ashoka Fellow Anil Chitrakar, and Jason Kessler from NASA. Basanta Shrestha, coordinator of the event and the Division Head of MENRIS, ICIMOD, is looking forward to the event. “While the usage of Earth Observation is beneficial in multiple contexts, youths are “agents of change” and communicators in their communities, as well as in regional and international arenas.”
Over the upcoming week the participants will get exposed to the general themes of 1) Climate Change and the Himalayas and 2) Understanding Earth Observation. A considerable part of the Forum will be hands-on exercises familiarizing the participants with basic Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (RS/GIS) skills, case studies related to use of EO in climate actions, and internet related resources such as GoogleEarth. The sessions will focus on issues such as snow and land cover change, disaster management and air quality. The last two days of the Forum are dedicated to project work preparing the youths to take local action in the community.
The Youth Forum has been designed to provide a regional platform to share and learn from each other. ICIMOD is already supporting youth network group, namely the Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA) which focuses on bringing together different civil society stakeholders at a national and international level on climate change issues. It is expected that the youth groups represented at the Forum will help to further disseminate the information about earth observation and the SERVIR-Himalaya initiative in their communities, the media and the public.
Throughout the Forum this blog will keep you updated on the proceedings, opinions and ideas presented. Please also check out our twitter page @earthsymposium for live commenting and coverage.
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