Top leaders in sustainable development are set to highlight the crucial role of date in securing the future of the planet at an upcoming summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

 

The second Eye on Earth Summit will run from October 6 to 8, exploring the critical need for better access to and sharing of environmental, social and economic data to support informed decision-making for sustainable development.

 

With the post-2015 development agenda firmly positioning sustainability at the fore of global priorities this year and beyond, the summit will cast a spotlight on the role governments, technology, the scientific community and citizen participation play in enhancing access to quality data about the state of the world’s resources. 

 

Nearly 30 sessions, to be delivered by more than 100 speakers, will explore the supply and demand dynamics, enabling conditions, and crucial role of data and information in creating a healthier planet. 

 

This year will mark a turning point for sustainable development, poverty eradication and the protection of the planet with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a new global climate change agreement likely to be enacted by the end of the year, said a statement.

 

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, secretary general - Environmental Agency - Abu Dhabi, a founding Eye on Earth Alliance partner, said: “The events of 2015 make the work of Eye on Earth more important than ever as we come together – governments, the private sector, academia and civil society – to improve information availability and quality to safeguard the future of the planet and humanity. At Summit 2015 we hope to agree the roadmap that will get us there.”

 

The summit will open with a focus on policy maker demand for environmental-related data and the associated challenges in using it to make evidence-based decisions. 

 

Led by Achim Steiner, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and undersecretary general of the UN, issues such as inconsistent data sharing mechanisms across countries and regions, institutional attitudes to open-source data policies and responding to commercial imperatives from the private sector, are some of the topics that will be discussed. 

 

The need for data to address the Syrian refugee crisis will be another critical agenda item. 

 

The day two of the summit will look at the problems impeding the availability of and access to environmental-related data. 

 

Looking in detail at the logarithmic data explosion, both in terms of volume and sources, it will explore the undiscovered potential of new resources, such as crowd sourcing, citizen science and cutting-edge technologies to engage many more actors in the world’s transition to a sustainable future.  

 

The summit will conclude on day three with a focus on the necessary conditions to support effective synergies between data users and data providers. Policy arenas, funding commitments and capacity building are some of the topics that will be discussed. 

 

“The Eye on Earth network is just getting started, but it could substantially alter the course of sustainable development for generations to come. Its potential impact has been likened to the equivalent of the Human Genome Revolution," said Steiner.

 

"That’s how important and valuable environmental-related data could become. The cooperation between stakeholders in government, academic, civil society and the private sector remains the most important element in Eye on Earth’s success. Everyone can, and should, lend their support to this endeavour,” he said.

 

On a macro level, a successful Eye on Earth Summit and growing international movement could mean the slowing down of natural resource depletion and an increased adoption of greener economies, said the statement.

 

It could ensure responsible urban policies and education for the improved management of urban growth, as well as the advancement of knowledge and innovation to guide all countries towards a promising and sustainable future, it said.

 

On a micro level, it is hoped the summit will provide the tools and opportunities necessary for stakeholders to foster partnerships to support informed decision-making and continue collaborating long after the summit. Increased funding will also allow community-run Special Initiative programmes to assist in the achievement of SDGs and other global environmental goals.

 

“We have a shared responsibility, globally, to address the topic of sustainability in the face of continuing population growth. By understanding how we access, use and support environmental-related data, we will strengthen our capabilities to develop environmental policies and regulations, ensure appropriate enforcement and enhance sustainable development,” Steiner added. - TradeArabia News Service