Full project name: Capacity development and technology transfer to improve the generation and use of data and information in support of monitoring the environment in Central Asia
- Geographical scope: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
- Time frame: 2019-2024
- Priority area: Science Policy For Action
- Partners: Moscow State University and Institute of Geography, Russian National Academy of Sciences
- Donor: Russian Federation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Official Development Assistance)
- Contribution to SDGs: Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and Goal 15 (Life on Land).
Environmental challenge
The gap between science, society and policy is an important challenge for environmental policy and decision-making. When up-to-date data and information are not effectively collected, managed and shared online, natural resources are less likely to be used sustainably and addressing transboundary environmental issues is more complicated.
This also prevents countries from adequately reporting on the state of the environment, on the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and on progress towards implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.
The reporting burden is enormous and often further exacerbated due to shortage of human resources and sub-optimal or lack of institutional structures for sharing data at national and regional levels. In particular, the use of remote sensing and geospatial data requires larger processing power from computers and specific software.
Government agencies need to acquire relevant infrastructure, be innovative and build capacity to process geospatial information and generate environmental statistics. Inconsistencies in current national environmental statistics weaken the reporting and decision-making processes and compromises regional cooperation.
Project
The project will provide Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan with access to full data on land cover, land use categorization and mapping of their respective territories. To do so, UNEP will work with partners in Central Asia and draw from the expertise of several key institutions and organizations in the Russian Federation, including the Institute of Geography, the Russian Space Agency and the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring.
Countries will be equipped with state-of-the-art information technology systems in order to increase their access to near real-time environmental information. Each country will be able to analyze and assess environmental change in the key domains of water, land, and biodiversity and will be able to produce data flows, develop indicators or generate statistics. As a result, sustainable management practices will be enhanced and reporting processes put in place.
A key outcome of the project will be an online digital Environmental Atlas for each country. Institutional and human capacity will be built to operate and maintain these tools through dedicated training programmes and manuals. Science-policy dialogues at national level and periodic workshops will also be organized to foster regional cooperation.
The project is being implemented with the assistance of the Russian Federation.
News
Take off! UNEP helps to power an eye on the environment in Uzbekistan
Any questions?
For more information please contact matthew.billot@un.org
