GEOSAT, a Earth Observation satellite operator, has become the first European company to join the SDG Data Alliance, the coalition mobilising data to accelerate the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Antigua & Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The Partnership Agreement with the PVBLIC Foundation, which convenes the Data Alliance, was signed in New York during the high level week of the 81st UN General Assembly.
Membership places GEOSAT within a select group of partners that work with the United Nations and international partners, with the goal of taking VHR satellite images and data to over 3,000 islands across almost 40 island states, the Alliance’s focus nations.
Through the Data Alliance, national and regional champions will be identified to lead implementation. GEOSAT will supply the imagery and, together with other Alliance partners, will turn it into actionable intelligence and better decisions. Joint procurement can give island nations capabilities few could secure alone, from land management to agriculture, forestry, coastal monitoring, and emergency response.
FROM EUROPE TO SIDS
GEOSAT brings to the Data Alliance the operational experience of an Established European Operator (recognised by the European Commission and Copernicus as one of only 5 VHR satellite operators in this category). It delivers satellite coverages to municipalities, countries and to Europe, bringing space to people. In partnership with Airbus, Geosat delivered VHR 24, the first fully European coverage of Europe. It supplies thousands of images every year in critical scenarios and contributes to the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters.
Membership builds on work already under way. In 2023, GEOSAT supported the launch of the Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO), contributing to its first pilot, the Goidhoo Earth Observation Pilot – a project later showcased at the UM Peace Forum in Paris. Geosat has already begun working on the first pilots for implementation with the Data Alliance.
“
Satellite images and Space-based information are critical assets to support populations in climate change adaptation. By joining the SDG Data Alliance, Geosat commits to continue working to bring space to people, leveraging local knowledge and value chains that can lead to the sustainable use of Earth Observation for social development.
” said Francisco Vilhena da Cunha, GEOSAT CEO.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Satellite Company Joins Alliance Supporting Antigua and Barbuda’s SIDS Agenda.