Global Earth Observation System of Systems / Asian Water Cycle Initiative
• To facilitate and develop sustainable mechanisms for the countries in Asia Pacific region to use advanced earth
observations systems, associated data and tools for water cycle research and
water resources management under the GEOSS framework.
Linkages among GEOSS/AWCI demonstration projects, working group activities and capacity development.
Objectives
The specific objectives of the program are to develop capacities of the Asian countries including:
- Techniques for downscaling regional and global information to basin scale and to improve accuracy required by operational water management applications through a combination of numerical forecasting and fusion of local observations;
- Reliable and efficient tools for conversion of the available observations and data to useful information for flood management employing data transformations, interpolation, classification, and estimation algorithms.
- Methodologies for conversion of information to water resources management applications, both for operational use and scenario based assessments for planning purposes.
The GEOSS/AWCI CB program recognizes three main target groups:
- Researchers & Scientists, where the emphasize is customizing existing knowledge to suit local conditions supported by global experiences;
- Professionals & Practitioners, which focuses on introducing new methodologies, tools and standards;
- Administrative & Local government officials, who are to be provided an overview of existing technology and science.
Different capacity development tools and programs will be combined to reflect the relevant emphasize and coverage for each target group.
Conceptual Diagram of Flood Risk Reduction Capacity Development - an example demonstrating the approach of the GEOSS/AWCI CB program.
Methodology
The program is being developed and used concurrently in support of applications in 18 Asian river basins proposed to be studied within the GEOSS/AWCI demonstration projects for clarification of basin water cycle and the development of appropriate water management practices. The training and capacity development program consists of elements such as short term training & long term training, online training materials, examples or modules, research opportunities, technical advise on existing projects, access to data and access to software.
It emphasizes sustainability and the need to customize technologies to suit local conditions by carefully setting up teams in each country made up of leading educational and research institutes and responsible government organizations that would function as core teams to ensure the future development and enhancement of the methodologies and incorporation of them to national programs.
United Nations University (UNU), Tokyo, Japan will coordinate the CB program of AWCI in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, JAXA, ICHARM, APN, AIT and other regional and national academic, research and governmental institutes that are identified though a resource survey.
The GEOSS/AWCI Demonstration Projects provide a good opportunity for the needed integration of research, capacity development and applications that would include capacity development programs for training a large number of competent persons and higher education research.
Capacity Building related information, links, material...
- Please visit an on-line repository that contains information on the GEOSS/AWCI CB activities including available training modules. It also provides a module information template for organizations to document further existing training modules they are offering and/or preparing.
--> Training courses, seminars...
- Available training modules (at the on-line repository developed by the UNU team)
- Joint Training Workshop on the Application of Remote Sensing Products on Drought Monitoring in Asia held in conjunction with the 5th GEOSS/AWCI ICG meeting (Tokyo, Japan, December 2009)
--> Documents
- Capacity Building Needs vs. Resources Matrix (November 2009)
- Capacity Building Modules Location Chart (2009)
--> Presentations
- Presentation by Ch. Ishida on Capacity Building at the 6th GEOSS/AWCI ICG Meeting (Bali, Indonesia, March 2010)
- Presentation by S. Herath on Capacity Building at the 6th GEOSS/AWCI ICG Meeting (Bali, Indonesia, March 2010)
- Presentations at the 5th GEOSS/AWCI ICG Meeting (Tokyo, Japan, December 2009)
