Commissioned by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Institute of Space and Earth Information Science (ISEIS) of CUHK conducted the United Nations Regional Training Workshop on Applications of Space Technology for Disaster Risk Management and Sustainable Development on campus from 5 to 9 August. During the period, the Stakeholders Meeting on Regional Cooperative Mechanisms on Space Applications in Asia-Pacific Region was also held in ISEIS.

Dr. Shamika Sirimanne, director of the Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division (IDD) of ESCAP and other IDD officers attended the workshop and the stakeholders meeting along with officers, scholars, and professionals from mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vanuatu. The workshop consisted of three parts, namely, exchanging the plans and progress made in participating countries on applications of satellite and IT in disaster risk management; introducing advanced satellite remote sensing and GIS technologies; and understanding further demands and discussing the cooperation plan.

Established in 1947, ESCAP is the largest regional arm of the UN for the Asia-Pacific region. It consists of 53 member states, and nine associate members such as Hong Kong and Macau. ISEIS is the non-governmental contact point of the Satellite Remote Sensing, GIS, and Satellite Navigation working group under ESCAP.

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