Issues of Standardisation of Data, Data Formats and Busi-
ness Geographics.
An International Workshop on Applications of Remote Sens-
ing and GIS for Sustainable Development was organised by
WG Chairman D. Rao from November 24th-25th, 1997,
Hyderabad, India, sponsored by the Indian Space Research
Organisation, Department of Space, Government of India.
The Workshop was attended by Commission | President G.
Joseph (SAC, Ahmedabad) and Commission VII Secretary P.
Winkler (FÓMI RSC, Budapest).
The Workshop was attended by 125 experts from eight
countries. Substantial outcomes of the Workshop were
identified as follows:
- There is a need for more training and awareness pro-
grammes for users to effectively take advantage of
remote sensing and GIS techniques.
- Need to work towards activities aimed at making the
Sustainable Development process more effective.
- Dissemination of remote sensing and GIS technology
up to end-user level is a critical need. Presently, it is not
adequate. Algorithms and procedures / methodologies
developed should be made available more openly to all
the users.
- Functional relationships between CO2 concentrations,
photosynthesis and productivity levels need to be
understood more thoroughly ie., the studies related to
the effect of green-house gases on total biomass pro-
duction needs to be carried out.
- Under IMSD substantial work has been done by
Department of Space, Govt. of India with the utilisation
of Remote Sensing & GIS in Natural Resources Man-
agement and dissemination of this information to the
end users. This can serve as an example for other
developing countries working in these areas.
- Detailed scientific investigations into evolving pro-
cedures for estimating carrying capacity of the land
need to be carried out.
- Involvement of private entrepreneurs should be
encouraged.
In the ECO-BP 98 international symposium on Resource
and Environmental Monitoring held at Budapest, Hungary
from 1st-4th September, 1998, Working Group-ll made a
substantial contribution. There were six sessions under
Working Group-ll during this period and 22 papers were pre-
sented covering various aspects of Sustainable Develop-
ment and Environmental Hazards and Disasters, including
an Overview Paper on Remote Sensing & GIS for Sustain-
able Development by the Working Group Chairman, for
which he also received ISPRS Best Oral Presentation Award
at the end of the session.
An International Tutorial on Remote Sensing & GIS in Deci-
sion Making for Sustainable Rural Development was con-
ducted at the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (National
Remote Sensing Agency), Dehradun, India from October
7th-9th, 1998. There was overwhelming response in atten-
dance at the Tutorial by the experts from various developing
countries, including India. Seventeen scientists from various
disciplines of scientific workers, academicians and scholars
from nine countries of the Asia Pacific region viz.
Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Phillip-
ines, Srilanka and Vietnam participated in the course pro-
gramme. The tutorial course was suitably designed, with
twelve lectures and five demonstrations covering topics on
International Archives of Photogrammerty and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part A. Amsterdam 2000.
ISPRS
2000
technology, its progress and on application areas which
have relevance to the needs of sustainable development.
The course started with a Keynote Address on Space Tech-
nology and Sustainable Development by Dr.D.P.Rao, Chair,
WG-VII/2. The Tutorial lectures were delivered by senior sci-
entists of the Department of Space from various sub-units
viz. Indian Space Research Organisation, Space Applica-
tions Centre, National Remote Sensing Agency, Regional
Remote Sensing Service Centres, Advanced Data Process-
ing Research Institute and the Indian Council of Agricultural
Research. The Central Soil, Water Conservation and
Research Institute, as well as scientists from Centre of
Space Science Technology & Education for the Asia-Pacific
Region affiliated to the United Nations were also involved in
delivering the lectures. The various topics covered were
“Overview of Remote Sensing Technology”, Profile of Indian
Satellites catering to the Developmental Needs”, Satellite
Data Products, Information Extraction Techniques, Appli-
cation of Remote Sensing in Geoscientific studies, Land,
Soil-Water, Vegetation Resources, Biodiversity and Environ-
mental Aspects, as well as Socio-Economic Aspects. The
demonstrations through computers, slides and an LCD
projector were used to cover the topics on satellite data
products, digital image processing and analysis, ground
water & mineral investigation and land hazard mapping.
Hands-on experience of the use of software (Geosmart,
GELAP, Decision Space etc.) and Watershed Development &
Management were demonstrated. The course ended with
the distribution of certificates to course participants.
The major activity of WG VII/2 was the organisation of a
Workshop on "Environmental Modelling using Remote Sens-
ing and GIS for Sustainable Development" at the Indian Insti-
tute of Remote Sensing (NRSA), Dehra Dun, India on March
11th, 1999. The Workshop was organised as a part of a
post-International Conference on “Geoinformatics for Nat-
ural Resources Assessment, Monitoring and Management”
entitled “GEOINFORMATICS BEYOND 2000”. While releas-
ing the Abstract volume of the Workshop, Prof. Shunji
Murai, 1st Vice President of ISPRS Council, gave a brief
account of the activities of the ISPRS and Working Groups.
He appreciated the work being done under ISPRS in India.
There were 69 participants in the Workshop, from different
countries including The Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Belgium,
USA, Nepal and Thailand, apart from the host country, India.
The Chair WG VII/2, Dr. D.P. Rao, presented an overview of
the applications of space technology for sustainable devel-
opment, including the next millenium's high resolution sen-
sors like IRS-P5, Quickbird and IRS-P6. Other invited
papers were presented by the senior scientists of various
centres of the Dept. of Space, namely, the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO), the National Remote Sens-
ing Agency (NRSA), Regional Remote Sensing Service Cen-
tres (RRSSCs), the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IRS),
the Space Applications Centre (SAC) and Advanced Date
Processing Research Institute (ADRIN), and the Indian Insti-
tute of Science. Workshop topics covered were: Ecological
analysis and modelling: Issues and challenges, present and
alternate land use based on natural resource; National soil
and land degradation mapping: Remote sensing perspec-
tive; Geoinformatics for forest ecosystem management:
Remote sensing and GIS for modelling; Land degradation
due to mining: Concepts and case studies; Remote sensing
and GIS for agricultural crop acreage and yield estimation;
Integrated watershed developmental planning using remote
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