Description: Geospatial information systems for monitoring and decision-making supporting tools are increasingly useful in sustainable economic development and disaster risk reduction including drought, natural resource management and land management. The latest innovations in geospatial information system have presented new opportunities through applications of geospatial technologies and data in promoting sustainable land management and resource management. For example, land accounting and land statistics could be significantly enhanced with the use of advanced geospatial technology and data. Digitized land cover databases for physical land accounts, such as the FAO Global Land Cover, have been greatly enriched in the past decades. However, there are still opportunities to improve the land management, land accounts and land statistics in particular, in terms of ecological land use and regulations. Combined statistical and geospatial data will enhance government decision-making through competent use of advanced land accounting systems in a more environmental friendly manner by using satellite images and geospatial data. It will also help identify potential directions for urban development, calculating seasonal crop yield, managing national infrastructure and transport networks, sustaining environmental stability, as well as combatting drought, land degradation and desertification. In order to support member States in the Central Asian region, ESCAP with the support from the Government of the Russian Federation, has started a new project in May 2019 titled “Strengthening institutional capacity on integrating geospatial and statistical data, with a focus on land accounts in Central Asia” for a duration of two years. The key objective of the project is to strengthen institutional capacity on integrating geospatial and statistical data of member States in Central Asia, with a focus on land accounts. Its strategic objectives include strengthening cooperative relations between national statistics offices, space agencies and international organizations. The project is designed as part of the overarching framework of the Asia-Pacific Plan of Action on Space Applications for Sustainable Development (2018–2030) and in accordance with the UNGGIM Integrated Geospatial Information Framework. This project will mainly contribute to the implementation of SDG 15 (life on land) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals). As the first action of the project, an inception workshop is being organized in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 14 to 15 November 2019 to identify needs and opportunities of the participating countries of the Central Asian region, share results and key findings of assessment on geospatial and statistical data on land accounts, explore existing frameworks, models, and practices on applications of geospatial information system on land accounts and statistics, and share good practices in the region. Meeting Report (English | Russian) Concept note Programme
