## 4 Earth Observation Products and Dissemination Platforms
In addition, dissemination platforms such as Global Surface Water Explorer [20] (Figure 6) provide the global locations and distribution of water surfaces through time for the past 32 years. [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON] and [PERSON] [20] show that there has been a net increase in surface water in all continents; however, there was loss of permanent water due to river diversion, drought and unregulated water withdrawal. Thus, such detailed information is useful for informing decisions and policy for integrated water resources management from local to global scales. In the context of Africa's development, the product can support the implementation and reporting towards addressing AU-Agenda 2063 goal 7 (i.e., Environmentally sustainable and climate resilient economies and communities). Specifically, information needs on water bodies, hydrography, aquifers, wastewater, and water quality as identified by the African Space Strategy as key information to support policy frameworks such as African Water Vision 2025 [81] can be met by EO. Officials at regional offices, national and local government institutions need to be capacitated in the role of EO and geospatial technologies in order to support mandates and policies for sustainable integrated water management and ensure access to a safe and adequate water supply. At a national scale, SANSA supports the national Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) by providing seasonal small water bodies layer (Figure 7) and water quality assessments based on Landsat 8 OLI [82; 83]. The National Water Act No. 36 of 1998 (NWA) [84] and the associated National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS) [85] aim to facilitate sustainable management, conservation, and control of South Africa's water resources in order to achieve national growth, development and socio-economic priorities in an equitable and sustainable manner. Among other things, NWA emphasizes the importance of information systems for monitoring, recording, assessing and disseminating information on water resources as critical for achieving the objectives of the act. Therefore, EO-derived products can meet both qualitative and quantitative information needs such as on quantity and quality of water, water use, the health of aquatic systems, rehabilitation of water resources and atmospheric conditions that may affect water resources as outlined in NWA. Such information will be beneficial to catchment management agencies, water service authorities, and other organs of state with responsibility for water management. Figure 6: Global Surface Water Explorer ([[https://global-surface-water.appspot.com/](https://global-surface-water.appspot.com/)]([https://global-surface-water.appspot.com/](https://global-surface-water.appspot.com/))) provides data on water occurrence (1984 to 2015), water seasonally (2014–2015), Annual Water Recurrence (1984–2015) and Water Occurrence Change Intensity (1984–2015). Disaster risk reduction, assessment and management is one of the global priorities informed by global policy frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 [86], the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) [87]. In UN-SDG 13, Target 13.1 focuses on strengthening \"resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries\". In Africa, the frequency and intensity of climate-induced natural disasters such as floods and droughs have increased significantly, costing the affected countries billions of dollars. Consequently, AU-Agenda 2063 goal 7 prioritizes \"Climate resilience and natural disasters preparedness and prevention\" in the FTYIP. International initiatives such as the International Charter \"Space and Major Disasters\" use Earth observation data from various space agencies and commercial partners for rapid response to major disasters around the world [88].