Press Release No. G/36/99
22 November 1999
United Nations Information Services (UNIS), Bangkok, Nov. 22nd, 1999 -- The region's major challenge to feed and employ its increasing population without endangering the ecological environment can be met by space applications but deficient and intermittent financial support as well as the lack of trained personnel and resources may hamper efforts to use this advanced technology for all mankind's benefit.
This was one of the major conclusions made by Ministers attending the Second Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific. Ministers endorsed on Friday, 20 November, a Strategy and Action Plan on Space Technology Applications (2000-2005) and also a Ministerial Declaration on Space Technology Applications for Improved Quality of Life in the New Millennium.
Ministers declared the launching of the second phase of the UN Economic and Social Commission's (UN/ESCAP) Regional Space Applications Programme (RESAP) for Sustainable Development and urged that it be focused on an action-oriented, result-driven programme for optimizing human and financial resources. The conference (15-20 November) was organized by the UN/ESCAP and hosted by the Government of India in New Delhi.
The vulnerability of the region to natural hazards such as floods, drought, cyclones, landslides, volcanic eruption cannot be overemphasized especially with the increased concentration of human settlements in marginal lands and disaster-prone areas, the Action Plan states. Space technology would thus have very useful applications in these vital areas.
The major areas RESAP will focus on include food security, capacity building, human resource development and education, poverty alleviation, weather forecasting, natural disaster reduction, healthcare and hygiene and sustainable development planning towards improving the quality of life.
Significant progress had been achieved through close co-operation between countries of the region, the Conference participants noted. However urgent issues need continuous attention in the following areas. Human resources development; involvement of the private sector and academia; strengthening of institutional frameworks and improvement of national co-ordination mechanisms; the establishment of an appropriate regional co-operative mechanism and further raising of awareness of policy-makers of the many beneficial uses of space technology applications.
Participants also discussed issues related to satellite data archive, their access and utilization and related data policy and commercialization aspects. These issues, they said, need to be addressed in a concerted manner. They recommended that data generated on a timely and immediate basis from the multitude of satellites in space should be made easily accessible and available free of charge to all countries as they faced the approaching of a natural disaster.
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had earlier noted when he opened the Ministerial segment on Thursday that disaster management is an area that is "crying out" for regional and global co-operation. "We must use our satellite networks in the best possible way so that every country in the region has the most comprehensive early warning available to it, irrespective of whether it has its own satellites or not." He offered to share India's expertise in space technology.
To remedy some of these problems, the Action Plan urges an integrated approach to the use of space technologies and stresses a multi-purpose natural resource database using commonly agreed standards and classifications including digital base maps.
A harmonization of regional initiatives to ensure a full realization of space development in the region would help overcome the high cost barrier preventing many smaller economies from participating in space projects, the Action Plan noted.
More universities, the Action Plan said, should offer courses related to space technology such as satellite-based geographic positionings, communications, meteorology and remote sensing and environment monitoring through remote sensing. A close partnership between Governments and the private sector for affordable and user-friendly services to the community at large was also recommended.
"We have scientific tools to detect cyclones and a reasonable level of capability to predict paths. Science is not yet progressed to pin point the precise area of disaster in advance nor to dissipate the fury of the cyclone. But even with existing knowledge, if a holistic action of integrating scientific tools, local administration and self-help through education can be done, the human dimension of calamities can be reduced," said Indian Minister for Human Resource Development and Science &Technology Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi.
"We are very pleased to note that ESCAP's work in this area has been acknowledged. Now we have a lot of work to be accomplished. The major challenge is to ensure equitable access to space technology development and applications," said Mr. Adrianus Mooy, Executive Secretary of the Bangkok-based UN/ESCAP.