United Nations Statistical Commission
Overview 52nd Session (2021) Side events
The SDGs Geospatial Roadmap
A Side Event at the United Nations Statistical Commission
- Thursday, 25 February 2021
- 9:00 - 11:00 AM
Recording of the meeting [Video]
Summary
Organised by the Working Group on Geospatial Information of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goal Indicators, with the support of UNSD, EO4SDGs, and UN-Habitat. This Side Event brought together actors and experts from both the statistical and geospatial communities in two, interlinked segments.
The first segment set the scene and introduced the concept, outline, and development to-date of the SDGs Geospatial Roadmap. The second launched the "EO Toolkit for Sustainable Cities," situating and contextualising the Toolkit within the global data environment and the SDGs Geospatial Roadmap. Geospatial information is a critical resource that can be better leveraged to help transform the measurement, monitoring, and production of SDG indicators, enabling the 'leapfrogging' of countries that currently lag behind. In recognising the potential of geospatial information, recently within decision 51/101, the Statistical Commission encouraged further work on better integration of geospatial and statistical information to better monitor the 2030 Agenda.
The SDGs Geospatial Roadmap outlines how to 'build the bridge' between the statistical and geospatial actors working within the global indicator framework and communicates the vision to see geospatial and location-based information being recognised and accepted as official data for the SDGs and the global indicator framework. Through three phases: Phase 1. Prepare and Plan; Phase 2. Design, Development and Testing; and, Phase 3. Measuring, monitoring and reporting geospatially enabled SDG indicators; the SDGs Geospatial Roadmap will provide National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and Systems (NSS) with key recommendations and guidance to enable the transformational potential of geospatial information (including Earth Observations and other forms of geographic data), to be harnessed while mitigating potential complexities around its use.
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and UN-Habitat "Earth Observation Toolkit for Sustainable Cities and Communities" is an online resource to support countries and cities with achieving SDG 11, to "make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable", enabling the implemention of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) through sustained utilisation of Earth observation (EO) data and applications. The Toolkit provides countries with tools and case studies that share practical guidance on the integration of remotely sensed and ground-based EO data with national statistics, socioeconomic data, and other data to help countries monitor, report, and drive progress on SDG 11 and the NUA. The Toolkit also aims to facilitate engagement among cities, national agencies, and EO experts, and promote knowledge sharing and collaboration between cities and countries.
Presentation Material
The SDGs Geospatial Roadmap
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Moderator, Introductory Remarks and Phase 1: Prepare and Plan
Mr. Kevin McCormack, Central Statistics Office, Ireland, co-Chair of the IAEG-SDGs WGGI
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Phase 2: Design, Development and Testing
Mr. Abeer Nasser Al-Naamani, National Centre for Statistics and Information, Oman
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Phase 3: Measuring, monitoring and reporting geospatially enabled SDG indicators;
Ms. Karen Chavez and Ms. Sandra Moreno , DANE, Colombia
The Earth Observation Toolkit for Sustainable Cities and Communities
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Moderator
Ms. Paloma Merodio INEGI, Mexico, co-Chair of the IAEG-SDGs WGGI and EO4SDG
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Launching the Earth Observation Toolkit for Sustainable Cities and Communities
Dr. Argyro Kavvada (in coordination with Mr. Dennis Mwaniki, UN Habitat), NASA and Executive Secretary, EO4SDG
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Ms. Marwa Elkabbany,
Federal Competitiveness and Statistical Authority, United Arab Emirates
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Mr. Dylan Weakley,
City of Johannesburg
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Dr. Forrest Stevens,
University of Louisville, GEO Human Planet