Sustainability

Sustainability refers to any article or event addressing mechanisms, strategies and tactics to maintain environmental progress.

Rio+20 Conference Centers on Seven Issues

Image of the Rio+ logoIn advancing the goal of achieving sustainable development around the world, Rio de Janeiro will host the 20th annual United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil from June 20-22.

Katrina Laygo, posted on February 3rd, 2012
Announcements, Sustainability

A SEAD of Sustainable Growth

Photo of a dandelion seed.A project called SEAD, for Sustainable Environment-Actionable Data, aims to create a system for scientists to share their data across disciplines.

Elise Mulder, posted on November 2nd, 2011
Quick Look, Sustainability, Technology

Alex Steffen says Earth Observation is part of Worldchanging

Picture of Alex Steffen, co-founder of Worldchanging.Alex Steffen, keynote speaker at the IEEE Professional Communication Society conference at the University of Cincinnati, says small steps can result in big changes, and we need to better educate the public on scientific findings that demonstrate the need for action.

Jeff Kart, posted on October 10th, 2011
Earth Observation, Featured Person, Sustainability

3 Billion More Mouths to Feed

Originally Published by NY Times

– New projections put the earth’s population at 10 billion in 2100.

Posted on May 6th, 2011
Sustainability

The Human Security Index: Potential Roles for the Environmental and Earth Observation Communities

Map showing Human Security Index USA, Prototype Version 0.1. Blue indicates relatively better situations.If a nation’s GDP is not enough to define human welfare, what is? Author David Hastings explores the idea of a human security index, and shares progress on creating a standard measurement for human well-being.

David Hastings, posted on May 4th, 2011
Articles, Earth Observation, Politics, Sustainability

Effects of Extreme Weather Events in Pakistan and Their Impacts on Sustainable Development

A pair of images of the Pasni area from February 16, 2005, and October 19, 2001, reveals some of the effects of recent, devastating flooding in southern Pakistan along the coast of the Arabian Sea. In these images, water appears dark blue (nearly black in places) to light blue, depending on the how much sediment is in the water. Vegetation is red, and the desert appears in shades of light brown and brownish yellow. The city of Pasni is located at the tip of the peninsula.Floods in Pakistan threaten the nation’s infrastructure, energy security, political and economic stability and natural ecosystems. In this situation, sustainable development may be the only way to manage both natural and man-made disasters. This paper presents the effects of extreme weather events in Pakistan and their impacts on sustainable development.

Afazal and Barbhuiya, posted on April 26th, 2011
Articles, Extreme Weather, Sustainability

International Earth Day 2011

Image of NASA's Earth day logoThis is the first installment of Earthly Updates, on International Earth Day 2011. Earthzine plans to provide similar updates weekly, highlighting interesting and timely Earth Observation-related events and resources.

Lisa Rudy, posted on April 22nd, 2011
Earth Observation, Earthly Updates, Sustainability

Earth Observation for Development: Mainstreaming Satellite-based Information into Sustainable Development and Financing Practices

Cropped image of SqueeSAR analysis of ERS ascending data The need to account for environmental information in financing development projects has driven a growing demand for geospatial information from organizations like the World Bank and the European Investment Bank. Earth Observation satellites can help in meeting this challenge.

Pierre-Philippe Mathieu and Stephen Coulson, posted on March 17th, 2011
Articles, Earth Observation, Sustainability

Geospatial Standards: Opening Up the Geosciences

Image of an icebergIn his second essay on access of geospatial data , Lance McKee argues that the technical standards in the geosciences are largely in place and have the necessary institutional commitment, but their availability and usefulness are not yet well known. His first essay presented the rationale for making Earth location-referenced data widely available and shared.

Lance McKee, posted on February 2nd, 2011
GEOSS/ICEO News, OpEd, Sustainability, Technology

And the 2010 Winners Are…

2010 Essay Contest logoEarthzine is pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 University and College Student Essay and Blogging Competition, “Making Citizen Observations a Global Vision.” Co-sponsored by NASA, this year’s contest attracted well-written, thought provoking essays and an international dialogue with students on important environmental issues.

Maeve Hickok, posted on December 20th, 2010
Earth Observation, Education, Essay Contest 2010, OpEd, Sustainability

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Panorama of the East Coast

Panorama of the East Coast

This Jan. 29 panorama of much of the East Coast, photographed by one of the Expedition 30 crew members aboard the International Space Station, provides a look generally northeastward: Philadelphia-New York City-Boston corridor (bottom-center); western Lake Ontario shoreline with Toronto (left edge); Montreal (near center). An optical illusion in the photo makes the atmospheric limb and light activity from Aurora Borealis appear "intertwined." Image Credit: NASA