Regional Space Applications Programme for
Sustainable Development and the SDGs
Space Applications Section
ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division
United Nations ESCAP

9th GEOSS
Asia-Pacific Symposium
11-13 January 2017
Tokyo, Japan

ESCAP and RESAP• United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia andthe Pacific (ESCAP)• 62 member and associate member States• ESCAP’s Regional Space Applications Programme for
Sustainable Development (RESAP) has been operating foraround 22 years• Covers 25 member States
Guided by Resolution 68/5 Asia-PacificPlan of Action for Space Applicationsand GIS for Sustainable Development(2012-2017), though focus is primarilyon disasters

RESAP member States
Australia - Department of Innovation,Industry, Science and Research

Japan - Ministry of Education, Culture,Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT) and JAXA

Bangladesh Space Research andRemote Sensing Organization(SPARRSO)

Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO)

Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency(ANASA)

Fiji – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Hong Kong Observatory

China - NRSC

Macao Economic Services

Nepal - Department of Forest
Research and Survey

Bhutan - National Land Commission

Malaysia National Space Agency(ANGKASA)

Indonesia - National Institute ofAeronautics and Space (LAPAN)

Mongolia - Ministry for Nature,
Environment and Tourism

Myanmar - Department ofMeteorology and Hydrology

Russian Federation - Federal Space
Agency (ROSCOSMOS)

Pakistan - Space & Upper Atmosphere
Research Commission (SUPARCO)

Viet Nam National Program on Space
Science and Technology

Vanuatu - Metrological and GeoHazard Department

Iranian Space Agency (ISA)

Singapore - Centre for Remote
Imaging, Sensing and Processing(CRISP)

Republic of Korea - Ministry of Education, Science andTechnology & KARI

Thailand - Geo-Informatics and Space Technology
Development Agency (GISTDA)

Sri Lanka - Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern
Technologies Ministry of Technology & Research (ACCIMT)

Philippine Council for Industry Energy and Emerging
Technology Research and Development (PCIERD)Space Applications Section
Within the ICT for Disaster Risk Reduction Division
Currently focuses on four main areas of work under the RESAP:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Timely provision of near real-time satellite imagery to disaster-affected countries
Operationalization of the Regional Cooperative Mechanism for Drought Monitoringand Early Warning
Skills and capacity to address existing gaps and emerging challenges
Institutional development through applications of emerging technology, knowledge
products, standards and procedures

Regional Drought Mechanism• Strengthen the capacity of drought-prone member to access and effectively
utilize space applications and GIS for drought monitoring and early warning• Build regional cooperation platforms for capacity building on droughtmanagement• Complement drought monitoring capacity with seasonal forecasting foreffective planning• Build greater capacity of drought-prone member States to develop a longterm planning, climate adaptation and drought management approach throughclimate risk analysis

NDDI

TCI

VCI

VHI

VSDI

VTCI

VSWI

NMDI

SPIAI

Capacity development• Capacity development for member States through a series of specializedprogrammes• Based on the needs identified through surveys and the regional inventory
on space applications and GIS• The focus areas include:– mainstreaming space applications into disaster risk management;– use of space and GIS in flood-risk mapping, drought monitoring and early
warning;– facilitate the establishment and use of the geo-referenced information
systems for disaster risk management (Geo-DRM) in CSNs
– and technical advisory service in effective use of space and GIS for disastermanagement.

Capacity development• Strengthening Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment and Early Warning
Systems with Applications of Space and Geographic Information
Systems in Pacific Island Countries• 9 Month course in CSSTEAP Dehradun for Central Asian Countries• Enhance the institutional capacity on remote sensing and GIS
applications for disaster early warning and management for officials
from national disaster management agencies in developing countries in
Asia and the Pacific• Scholarship fund with the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
for MSc Earth System Science at the Institute of Space and Earth
Information Science (ISEIS)

Knowledge products, standards and procedures•Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2015:
Disasters without Borders– Chapter on right information,right people, right time•

Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery(SAARC)– Now being developed for ASEAN region•

Procedural Guidelines for sharing
Space-based information duringEmergency Response in ASEAN– Now developing hazard-specific guidelines
as requested by member States

Changing global development landscape
Global frameworks:•Sustainable Development Goals•

Sendai Framework for DRR•

Paris Agreement on Climate Change

Opportunities for RESAP:•••

Existing Asia-Pacific Plan of Action for Space Applications and GIS for SustainableDevelopment (2012-2017) is coming to an end
Need for a new Asia-Pacific Plan of Action for Space Applications (2018-2030)
Request by member states to organise a 3rd Ministerial Conference on SpaceApplications in 2018

20th ICC on RESAP and the Asia-Pacific SpaceLeaders Forum• The 20th Intergovernmental Consultative Committee (ICC) on Regional
Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development (RESAP) took
place from 30 October – 1 November 2016
• Practitioners from the space community discussed the potential role ofRESAP among the new global development landscape• Asia-Pacific Space Leaders Forum followed on 2 November 2016
• Declaration by Asia-Pacific Space Leaders on Applications of SpaceTechnology to support implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development adopted• Specific inputs to the Declaration of Asian Ministerial Conference onDisaster Risk Reduction, 2 – 5 November 2016, New Delhi

Vision for RESAP
The 20th ICC on RESAP suggested the following:
Pillars:
Disaster Risk Reduction
and Resilience• Disaster Risk Management• Resilience for food security
and agriculture

Environment and NaturalResources• Urban Development• Freshwater management• Land Use and Ecosystem
Services• Coastal areas and fisheries• Improving Air Quality andMonitoring the AtmosphereGeo-spatial information for
infrastructure and services• Geospatial Information
Management Infrastructure• Health, Education and Social
Services

Modalities of implementation:
Timely provision of near real-time satellite imagery
Skills and capacity to address existing gaps and emerging challenges
Institutional development through emerging technology, knowledge products, standards and proceduresProposed timeline of activities•

Priority activities can be identified/outlined in the New Asia-Pacific Plan of Action forSpace Applications (2018-2030).

•New Plan of Action (2018-2030) to be drafted in consultation with all member States,relevant stakeholders and other ESCAP divisions, during 2017.

•Draft Plan of Action (2018-2030) to be discussed during the 21st Intergovernmental
Consultative Committee (ICC) on RESAP.

•Final Plan of Action (2018-2030) to be adopted at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial
Conference on Space Applications in 2018 and/or Commission Session

Outcomes of Space
Leaders Forum Nov
2016

Revise the ToR on
RESAP in Q1 2017

New PoA 2018-2030
to be drafted in Q22017

Discuss draft PoA at
21st ICC on RESAP inQ3 2017

Adoption at 2018
Ministerial
ConferenceThank you
Kelly Hayden
Space Applications Section
Information and Communications Technologyand Disaster Risk Reduction Division
Email: haydenk@un.org

ESCAP
Web: www.unescap.org
Twitter: @ESCAP
Pre-conference event for 7th AMCDRR