1. Workshop background
Remote Sensing (RS) techniques can provide an important contribution to monitoring and reporting on the state of the environment, providing assessments of large-scale and long-term conditions, over the regional to continental range, and over the entire seasonal cycle. In order to fully exploit the potential of this technique, RS data must undergo several levels of processing - requiring special facilities and expertises - to derive suitable indicators, before reaching the end-user.
A pilot programme for environmental assessments of the Eurasian macro-region, that would identify and map a key set of indicators derived from RS data, has been proposed in the framework of the WGEM. The programme - involving the co-operation of end-users, and including a set of complementary measures, such as an application demonstration exercise, an awareness campaign for potential end-users and a suitable set of training activities - would complement other actions aiming at reporting on the state of the environment, in relation to the Kiev Assessment. The present Workshop is a forerunner of the proposed complementary measures.
2. Workshop objective
The Workshop is aimed at experts from countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Uzbekistan), supported by TACIS project funds, and experts from other interested UNECE countries. The Workshop will review current RS application potential for environmental assessments at national, subregional and regional levels, as well as current country requirements and capabilities in this field, in view of drafting a comprehensive project proposal, possibly to be later submitted in the EU GMES framework.
3. Workshop programme
On the first day, the Workshop will be opened by a series of 6 keynote presentations on environmental indicators available using RS techniques, based on the experience of the JRC about vegetation & climate, marine & coastal zones, land use & agriculture, as well on the experience of the REC, EEA, and the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring about the use of RS for environmental monitoring. The experts from the participating countries will then be called to deliver a series of short national contributions on the experience in the use of RS for environmental assessments in their respective countries or their specific interests in using RS results. These presentations will set the stage for the ensuing discussions, which will be conducted during the second day.
On the second day, a review will be given of the proposal on indicators identification and mapping, which was drafted by JRC on behalf of the WGEM. A plenary discussion will follow, to identify a key set of environmental indicators, regions & basins of interest to participating countries and to discuss specific indicators - concerning vegetation & climate, marine & coastal zones, and land use & agriculture - to be worked upon in participating countries over the following 6 months. A summary of the workshop outcome and future plans, including definition of scope, date and venue of the second workshop on RS, will close the workshop.
4. Workshop speakers
Opening address Keynote presentations National contributions Review of draft proposal Plenary discussions, led Concluding remarks |
by by by by by by |
workshop Chairman and organizers experts from IES, JRC EC, REC, EEA, RF (tbd) experts from participating countries (tbd) workshop Chairman participating experts (tbd) workshop Chairman |
5. Workshop outcome
The Workshop participants will sketch a work plan to be executed by experts in their home countries in the following 6 months, in order to better outline the proposed project. In particular, it is foreseen that in each of participating countries an applied research group will be identified, to carry out an assessment of (1) environmental information requirements, in co-operation with the relevant a dministrative bodies, (2) available and missing resources, such as institutional framework, hardware and software infrastructures, personnel, as well as (3) their training needs, and the potential for some (4) preliminary data gathering and processing, for use in the proposing stage.
6. Workshop follow-up
A second Workshop will be organized in the late fall 2003 to review the work done, to present and review all of the foreseen contributions, and to draft the final proposal.
7. Workshop logistics
Location: | Joint Research Centre of the EC, Ispra (Italy) |
Duration: | 2 full days |
Dates: | 19 and 20 May 2003 |
Participants: | approx total 20, i.e.
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Workshop Chairman: | Dr Vittorio BARALE IES, JRC EC (tp 272), I-21020 Ispra VA, Italy tel. +39-0332-789274, sec. +39-0332-789177, fax. +39-0332-789034 |
Guidelines for national presentations from country experts
Each expert from the participating countries will be called to provide a short contribution on the national experience with RS techniques and technologies for environmental monitoring and assessments in her/his country or their specific interests in using RS results.
In particular, the experts will be expected to deliver information about:
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A 20-minute slot will be allowed for each presentation. Therefore, the speakers are advised to provide concise and factual contributions, following the present guidelines. This will allow optimal use of the limited time available, as well as a direct comparison of the situation in countries, and a precise evaluation of the work to be proposed in the planned follow-up activities.
Agenda
18 May 2003
18:00 - 20:00 Welcome & registration, at the Hotel dei Tigli, in Angera
19 May 2003
Shuttle bus departure from Hotel dei Tigli, Angera, to JRC at 8:30
09:00 - 09:20 |
Welcome, general remarks, workshop organization and logistics |
09:20 - 09:40 | "The GLC 2000 project: a successful example of international cooperation for environmental mapping with remote sensing data" Keynote presentation by Philippe Mayaux, IES, JRC EC |
09:40 - 10:00 | "Using remote sensing and integrated geographical data in monitoring and managing coastal zones, marginal basins and enclosed seas" Keynote presentation by Vittorio Barale, IES, JRC EC |
10:00 - 10:20 | "Land cover maps and land cover statistics: accuracy and fine scale profiles" Keynote presentation by Javier Gallego, IES, JRC EC |
10:20 - 10:40 | "Remote Sensing Indicators Applied for Crop Growth Monitoring" Keynote presentation by Igor Savin, IPSC, JRC EC |
10:40 - 11:00 | Coffee break |
11:00 - 11:20 | "Monitoring and assessment of urban developments: from local observation to regional impacts analysis" Keynote presentation by Carlo Lavalle, IES, JRC EC |
11:20 - 11:40 | "Remote sensing for environmental impact assessment and monitoring of mining-related contamination: experiences from the PecoMines Project and the Aznalcollar Accident" Keynote presentation by Thomas Kemper, IES, JRC EC |
11:40 - 12:00 | "Satellite imagery for environment: status, constraints, challenges, and opportunities for increased use in Central and Eastern Europe" Keynote presentation by Jerome Simpson, REC CEE |
12:00 - 12:20 | "Use of remote sensing for environmental reporting in Europe" Keynote presentation by Chris Steenmans, EEA |
12:20 - 12:40 | "Small structured land use and mountainous areas in Austria: a challenge for environmental monitoring using remote sensing" Keynote presentation by Gebhard Banko, Federal Environment Agency |
12:40 - 13:00 | " Experience of Roshydromet in RS use for environmental monitoring" Keynote presentation by Oleh Milekhin, Scientific and Research Centre "Planeta" |
13:00 - 14:30 | Lunch break |
14:30 - 14:50 | National contribution, Azerbaijan Presentation by Imran Abdulov, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources |
14:50 - 15:10 | National contribution, Belarus Presentation by Aleksandr Kavaliou, Republican Scientific and Technical Centre “Ecomir” |
15:10 - 15:30 | National contribution, Georgia Presentation by Ramaz Chitanava, Ministry of Environment |
15:30 - 15:50 | National contribution, Kazakhstan Presentation by Murat Ibragimov, Kazakh Research Institute of Environmental Monitoring and Climate |
15:50 - 16:10 | National contribution, Kyrgyzstan Presentation by Meder Seytkasymov, Ministry of Environment and Emergencies |
16:10 - 16:30 | Coffee break |
16:30 - 15:50 | National contribution, Moldova Presentation by Adam Begu, National Institute of Ecology |
16:50 - 17:10 | National contribution, Russian Federation Presentation by Valeriy Kukosh, Ministry of Natural Resources |
17:10 - 17:30 | National contribution, Tajikistan Presentation by Timur Nazarov, Ministry for Environmental Protection |
17:30 - 17:50 | National contribution, Turkmenistan Presentation by Amanklych Babayev, Desert Research Institute, Ministry of Nature Protection |
17:50 - 18:10 | National contribution, Uzbekistan Presentation by Kamalitdin Sadykov, State Committee for Nature Protection |
Shuttle bus departure from JRC, to Hotel dei Tigli, Angera, at 18:30
Social event: shuttle bus departure from Hotel dei Tigli, Angera at 19:45
Workshop Dinner at the "Antica Trattoria da Cesare", Travedona Monate, at 20:00
20 May 2003
Shuttle bus departure from Hotel dei Tigli, Angera, to JRC, at 8:30
09:00 - 09:30 | Review of the WGEM draft proposal, indicators identification and mapping Presentation by Vittorio Barale, IES, JRC EC |
09:30 - 11:00 | Key set of environmental indicators, regions & basins Plenary discussion. Moderator: Gebhard Banko, Federal Environment Agency |
11:00 - 11:30 | Coffee break |
11:30 - 13:00 | Work on environmental indicators in participating countries Plenary discussion. Moderator: Amanklych Babayev, Desert Research Institute, Ministry of Nature Protection |
13:00 - 14:30 | Lunch breake |
14:30 - 16:00 | Participants’ requirements, resources, training, mapping Plenary discussion. Moderator: Aleksandr Kavaliou, Republican Scientific and Technical Centre "Ecomir" |
16:00 - 16:30 | Coffee break |
16:30 - 18:00 | Work plan drafting, definition of date and venue of the second workshop Plenary discussion. Moderator: Yaroslav Bulych, UNECE |
18:00 - 18:30 | Conclusions, summary of future plans & closure |