Earth Observations: foundational for understanding and predicting environmental change

ITU Symposium on ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change Montreal – 29-31 May 2012

Jim AbrahamDirector General – Weather and Environmental Monitoring

Meteorological Service of Canada

www.ec.gc.ca

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Outline

• Context• Canadian Core Networks• A few key examples• Conclusion

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Canadian Context

• Large nation:– sparsely populated– remote and difficult access to many regions

• Maritime nation:– 3 oceans– longest coastline in the World – 243,000 km

• Polar nation:– the Arctic is a government priority:

▪ a development challenge for Canada▪ mapping polar shelf in support of UNCLOS▪ increased maritime surveillance and arctic

science – sensitive and rapidly changing environment

• Large development, stewardship, security responsibilities

• Resource-based economy:– natural capital, transportation, environmental

impact

• Sustainable growth a challenge:– observations and knowledge are tools to

sustainable growth

NorthWest PassageNorthWest Passage

Monitoring

Monitoring the 9,093,507 SQ KM of Canada, and its adjacent

waters

What we do: Weather Water and Climate Services

Research & Technological Development

Monitoring Analysis & Prediction Service Delivery

Our current networks

• Surface network

• Radar

• Upper Air

• Hydrometric

• Space Based•Mix of 800 staffed and

automatic weather stations;

•850 climate stations;

•Moored and drifting buoys, arctic ice beacons and automatic voluntary observing ships.

Our current networks

• Surface network

• Radar

• Upper Air

• Hydrometric

• Space Based•Coverage for over 98% of

the Canadian population;

•Coverage of 28% of the Canadian land mass.

Our current networks

• Surface network

• Radar

• Upper Air

• Hydrometric

• Space Based•Radiosondes (31)

•Ozonesondes (10)

•Brewer spectrophotometers (9)

•Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR)

Our current networks

• Surface network

• Radar

• Upper Air

• Hydrometric

• Space Based

•Approximately 2900 stations

Our current networks

• Surface network

• Radar

• Upper Air

• Hydrometric

• Space Based

• EC reception network - GOES, NOAA, METOP

• Canadian reception – RADARSAT, ENVISAT, others

• Operational data exchange - EUMETSAT, ECMWF, NOAA, others

ICTs used in the Observation of the Earth• WMO Integrated Global Observing

System (WIGOS): passive and active terrestrial, airborne, and spaceborne sensors working in the visible, IR and microwave bands

• WMO Information System (WIS): collected data is exchanged freely and in near real-time globally

• Products and services for global and national socio-economic benefit areas such as:

WeatherClimateDisastersTransportationHealthWaterAgricultureEnergyBiodiversityEcosystemsResource Management

Recognition of the Importance of Earth Observation at WRC-12

• ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré commended the delegates on the attention given to Earth observation radiocommunication applications, which are crucial for monitoring and combating climate change and for disaster prediction.

• WRC-12 agreed to Resolution 673 (Rev.WRC-12) called “The importance of Earth observation radiocommunication applications”.

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Why is Earth Monitoring Important?

• Understanding natural environment

• Assessing impacts

• Managing riskin societal benefit areas:

Over 80% of all disasters in Canada are driven by changes in the environment

Hydrometric Monitoring on Hydrometric Monitoring on West CoastWest Coast

TsunamiTsunami

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Map showing the evolution of Ice Concentration in the Arctic. Credit: NASA

Maps showing the evolution of Ice Age Distribution in the Arctic. Credit: US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)

Source: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/seaice_conditions_feature.html

Big Changes in the Arctic!

- Use of remote sensed data to monitor the Earth- Climate Change- Challenges and opportunities in the Arctic

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Example applications - Disasters

URBANURBAN

AIRAIR

WATERWAYSWATERWAYS

High Resolution EM Key to Managing Risk Associated with:•Accidental Release

•Technological Incidents

•Nature Triggered Extreme Events

Hurricane “Ophelia”

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Another opportunistic SARscan capturing wind field early in the ET process

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Example applications - Health

SPECIALIZED PRODUCTS FOR CITIZENS – AIR QUALITY HEALTH INDEX

• Empowers individuals to decide how they might be at risk

• Provides health messaging for Canadians—both general & at-risk populations—how to minimize that risk

• High resolution landuse EO needed to assess emissions and impacts on air quality

AIR QUALITY AIR QUALITY HEALTH INDEXHEALTH INDEX

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Conclusions

• Communications/Broadcasting is not the only critical service in case of disasters:

– Earth Monitoring is the essential tool for prediction, detection and response to natural and man-made disasters. The data management (including quality assurance and archive) of these transmissions is an additional important challenge

▪ Earth Monitoring data is continuously used to forecast significant events and thus provide early warnings to identify risks and reduce impacts on life and property (e.g. floods, severe weather, chemical releases)

▪ Earth Monitoring data is required before, during and immediately after a disaster to assess risks and to ensure safe and effective operations and to aid in planning (e.g. forecasting weather conditions during relief operations)

▪ Earth Monitoring data analyses provide information to policy and decision makers on the adoption of longer term mitigation measures (e.g. modifying building codes to adapt to climate change)

– It is critical to provide and protect necessary spectrum, as well as radio and telecommunication infrastructure, for obtaining and disseminating Earth Monitoring data

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