Tuesday 16 July 2019

NASA and UN team up for environmental data collection and use

NASA and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have agreed to work together to enhance environmental education and training and open up new prospects for the collection and use of environmental data.

The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) programme provides students and the public worldwide with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process and contribute meaningfully to the understanding of the Earth system and global environment.

Its vision is for a worldwide community of students, teachers, scientists and the public working together to better understand, sustain and improve Earth's environment at local, regional and global scales.

The two organisations will work on increasing awareness and promoting the use of GLOBE data by the international science community, with the goal of encouraging participation of environmental researchers in the programme.

They will also share education and training resources for distribution to their networks and promote closer collaboration of UN Environment Regional Offices with GLOBE countries.

Allison K. Leidner, the NASA GLOBE Program Manager said: “The opportunity to collaborate with a worldwide environmental organisation is especially exciting at the cusp of the GLOBE Program’s 25th anniversary on Earth Day 2020.

“It has a direct impact on youth and new generations, fundamental for data strategies and our common future. This leverages UNEP initiatives in terms of harnessing the power of big data on the environment for sustainable development, peace and security and humanitarian action.”