This training will focus on using remote sensing and geospatial data within the NASA-supported UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL) to take action on national conservation and sustainable development priorities. With over 400 of the world’s best global data layers on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and sustainable development, UNBL enables decision-makers and policymakers to access essential global data, upload national datasets, and calculate dynamic indicators for any area of interest - all without any background in remote sensing and GIS. Fully redesigned in 2021 to improve functionality and better meet user needs, UNBL will be a key offering to support parties and other stakeholders to implement, monitor, and report on the CBD’s Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
This training offers three complementary courses -- an intermediate lecture series (Parts 1-3) and two advanced labs -- that participants can select among to choose the learning experience that best meets their needs. Our intermediate course will integrate lectures and Q&A to provide learners with an understanding of the power of spatial data to address key international commitments and a training on how to use all key functionalities of UNBL. Our advanced lab on the UNBL public platform will combine homework and live exercises to build participants’ confidence in their ability to use all features of UNBL. Our advanced lab on UNBL workspaces will combine homework and live exercises to equip participants with the needed skills to take full advantage of workspace functionalities. Speakers will include NASA scientists, UN policy specialists and data experts, and national policymakers.
Relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Course Dates:
- Intermediate Series (Parts 1-3): April 14, 21, 28, 2022
- Advanced Labs: April 27 & May 4, 2022
Times and Registration Information:
- English Session: 9:00-10:30 EDT (UTC-4): https://go.nasa.gov/3uGiV8Z
- French Session: 11:00-12:30 EDT (UTC-4): https://go.nasa.gov/3M978q9
- Spanish Session: 15:00-16:30 EDT (UTC-4): https://go.nasa.gov/3BWXyC5
Learning Objectives: By the end of this training, attendees will be able to:
- Understand key global biodiversity and sustainable development policy instruments as they relate to conservation efforts.
- Utilize examples from inspiring countries using spatial data to take action for people and planet as a basis for your work.
- Summarize the types of data available on UNBL, and be able to identify specific datasets related to these themes.
- Explore how different combinations of data available in UNBL collections can generate insight and inform action related to key policy questions.
- Apply UNBL public platform features to search and visualize data, calculate dynamic metrics, create maps, and download data on the UNBL public platform.
- Use UNBL secure workspace features to add users and assign privileges, upload places, upload and style data layers, calculate dynamic metrics for your area of interest.
Audience:
- National policymakers involved in conservation and sustainable development commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- UN system staff supporting projects and programs aligned with the UN Common Approach on Biodiversity and 2030 Agenda.
- Researchers and civil society stakeholders interested in using spatial data to implement, monitor, and report on projects operating at the intersection of biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable development.
Course Format:
- Intermediate Series: Three, one and half-hour parts that include lectures, demonstrations, and question & answer sessions.
- Advanced Labs: Two, one and half-hour parts that include homework and live exercises.
Retweet Option (English): https://twitter.com/NASAARSET/status/1499463381568430085
Retweet Option (Spanish): https://twitter.com/NASAARSET/status/1499463287611793408
Retweet Option (French): https://twitter.com/NASAARSET/status/1499463158523695105