In a historic event held on December 5-7, 2020, the GEO Indigenous Summit brought together more than 1000 participants from around the world to tackle the future of Earth observation (EO) data and technology. The summit marked a significant turning point, uniting Indigenous Peoples and the space community in a powerful dialogue about the latest EO-based applications and the current opportunities and challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples in accessing and utilizing Earth observation data and technology.
As the event progressed, crucial questions were raised about the protection of Indigenous knowledge, the equitable collection and sharing of EO data, and the ethical considerations of data principles. The GEO Indigenous Alliance 2020 report highlights these challenges and opportunities, providing actionable recommendations and next steps.
Urgent action is required to address the challenges and attain the targets and goals of the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework. Collaboration with the GEO Indigenous Alliance is vital in ensuring that innovative datasets and technologies are accessible to Indigenous communities.
The report, authored by Diana Mastracci, can be accessed here and provides valuable insights into this groundbreaking event that is uniting communities and paving the way for a better, more sustainable future.