Role of Earth Observations for Sustainable Development: Emerging Trends
(SS-1: ICORSE Earth Observation Systems for Sustainable Development)
R R Navalgund" and Satish C Jayanthi
"President, Technical Commission VII (2000-04), ISPRS
National Remote Sensing Agency
Hyderabad 500 037 (INDIA)
e-mail: rangnath@nrsa.gov.in and jayanthi_c@nrsa.gov.in
KEY WORDS: Ecosystems, Earth observations (EO), Natural resources, Remote sensing, Sustainable development
ABSTRACT
Sustainable development aims at optimal use of natural resources, protection and conservation of ecological systems,
and improving economic efficiency. It tries to provide food, fuel, fiber and shelter for the ever increasing world population
on sustainable basis. Ecosystems like agro, coastal, forest, freshwater and grasslands, and natural disasters are some of
the ideal facets for examining the magnitude of the problems and the plausible solutions that need to be generated.
Decision-making for sustainable development is a complex process and involves studying trade-offs that need to be
made among conflicting goals of different sectors. The present paper examines the scope for Earth Observation (EO)
contributions towards the above, and tries to profile the EO capabilities vis-à-vis the systems' information needs. It further
identifies the gaps, which EO needs to fulfill towards meeting either the imaging or processing needs of various
applications. Considering these, in the next 6-7 years, a host of spacecraft systems carrying different sensors have been
planned across the globe including India. Endeavours of NASA, ESA, India, JAXA etc. and complementary data sharing
initiatives by International Charter on Space and Major Disasters and the UN agencies are expected to enlarge the scope
for increased role of EO data towards the cause of sustainable development.
Resources and environment: global
concerns
Optimal management of natural resources is vital for the
world in general and to the developing nations, in
particular. Resources of many developing countries have
come under severe strain over the past few decades in
view of the ever-increasing demographic pressure.
Deforestation, desertification, soil erosion and salinisation
have degraded the environment, threatening the food
security and economic development of many countries.
Over exploitation of resources to meet the burgeoning
requirements is leading to crowded crop lands, falling
water tables, declining biodiversity, over-fishing and
increased pollution. The biggest global concern today is
"Population explosion". It is expected to touch 11 billion by
2075 from 6.06 billion in 2000, i.e, each year 80 M people
are getting added. Urban areas, which account for 4% of
the land area, inhabit around half of the global populace.
As against the estimated minimal need of 0.5 ha per
capita, over all arable land of 1500 M ha in the world
presently available for agricultural activities amounts to
only 0.3 ha per capita. The per capita arable land is
expected to dwindle to 0.13 ha by 2075. About 65% of
cropped land is having significant soil degradation.
Forests occupy about 25% of the land area, from which
about 5096 world's forest cover has shrunk due to logging;
the estimated annual loss of about 5.8 M ha. Besides,
12.596 of total biodiversity is threatened. Forests are
responsible for 2 Gt of Carbon/year contributing to 30% of
the total carbon cycle. To the global atmospheric carbon
of 720-800 GtC, another 3.3 GtC is added each year.
Water is another precious resource, whose value is
undermined. About 1.6 billion (28%) people lack safe
drinking water; and about 5 M die each year. About 1.5
billion people depend on ground water for drinking
1321
purposes; the pumping or extraction of which outscores its
recharge @ 160 m” a year.
About 40% of the global population lives within 100 km
from the coast, i.e. on 2296 of the land area. Corals, which
are pristine and semi-precious, are spread over 255,000
km? are one of the threatened species. 5896 of them are at
some risk or the other due to destructive fishing practices,
tourist pressures and pollution; while 2796 of them under
high risk. Among mangroves (181,000 km”), 50% are
destroyed. So also is the case of wetlands, both coastal
as well as inland. It is appalling that about 7596 of major
marine fish stocks are either depleted from over-fishing or
are being fished at their biological limit. Other major
problems like depletion of ozone layer, glacial retreat and
vulnerability to disasters need no emphasis. By these
facts, it is imperative that these issues cut across
geographical barriers and transcend national boundaries.
Stretching the finite resources of the world to meet the
basic requirements of ever increasing population growth
that is conservatively expected to touch 11 billion by 2075,
without impairing ecological and environmental conditions
is the biggest challenge facing the world today (World
Resources 2000-2001).
Concept and need for sustainable
development
According to the World Commission on Environment and
Development or Brundtland Report (1987), sustainable
development is defined as "Development which meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs" (UN
Commission on Environment and Development, 1987).
Sustainability has many dimensions viz., ecological,
economic, social and cultural and it has to be suitably
integrated with environment to develop cost effective,
