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Earth observation with COPERNICUS to :
protect, monitor, document, present and share our common heritage, our
cultural and natural UNESCO World Heritage sites
NATURAL SCIENCES
Dr Ozlem Adiyaman Earth Sciences and Geo-hazards Risk Reduction Section
Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences
(24.04.2017)1
NATURAL SCIENCES
✓ Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and
what we pass on to future generations.
✓ Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources
of life and inspiration.
✓ World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world,
irrespective of the territory on which they are located
✓ UNESCO focuses on the conservation of our cultural heritage as
well as biodiversity of the planet and inspire and introduce us to
the world of natural heritage.
UNESCO
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✓ It is the only United Nations specialized agency,
symbolized by the ‘S’ in the acronym, with a specific
mandate for science.
✓UNESCO hosts major international programmes in the
freshwater, marine, ecological, earth and basic
sciences.
✓Cross-cutting themes include: natural disaster
reduction, biodiversity, engineering, science
education, climate change and sustainable
development in small island developing states.
UNESCO Natural Sciences
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UNESCO
Heritage Designations/Labels (2016)
World Heritage Sites:
1052 in 165 countries
(including 203 natural &
35 mixed sites)
Man & Biosphere Reserves:
669 in 120 countries
UNESCO Global Geoparks:
119 in 33 countries
The two latter are not declared for their
"outstanding universal value" but they
are important for conservation and
sustainable development of natural and
cultural heritage in the world.
Chengjiang Fossil Site, China
Agenda
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1. Copernicus and UNESCO: synergies
2. UNESCO primary factors/threats affecting the World
Heritage properties
3. World heritages in Danger and Copernicus
4. Disaster risk reduction versus reconstructions/
destruction measurement with Copernicus
5. Geographic Information System (GIS), World heritage
sites
6. Conclusions and future steps
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UNESCO connected area
Copernicus and UNESCO
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UNESCO connected area
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UNESCO primary factors/threats affecting
the World Heritage properties
14 factors affecting WH properties can be monitored with EO data!
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UNESCO primary factors/threats affecting
the World Heritage properties
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UNESCO primary factors/threats affecting
the World Heritage properties
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Background
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Reducing Disaster Risk at World Heritage
Properties should be our main priority
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2015 saw a growth of intentional destruction of heritage sites in the Middle East.
In the light of international media reports in March 2015 that Nimrud was being methodically destroyed by the Islamic State (IS) with bulldozers and explosives, DAI contacted EUSI to request a combination of new and archive imagery so they could assess the reports. With the help of DLR’s Department Geo-Risks and Civil Security in the German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) they analysed the imagery to understand the scope of the destruction.
The WorldView-2 40cm imagery supplied by European Space Imaging revealed singular details that helped experts to assess the situation. Their findings are part of the case study “VHR Imagery Enables Archaeologists to Safely Assess Heritage Site Destruction”.
“Without the satellite imagery, we would not have been able to confirm when the major destruction took place” stated Margarete Van Ess, Deputy Director of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) Orient Department, Germany.
European Space Imaging case study reveals how satellite imagery helps protect UNESCO World Heritage sites???
Geographical informations systems
✓ Easy and friendly activation of interaction with citizens, decision makers and field staff is priority for the protection and management of WH sites.
✓ Satellite-based and airborne EO data are the heart of GIS products and services.
✓ GIS providers combine this core imagery with other sources (in-situ data, navigation signals, social media information etc.), creating very high-value-added products for WH site managers, governments and UNESCO.
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Conclusions:
✓EO is essential for Natural and Cultural heritage management, monitoring and preservation, mainly for:
✓ Historical archives: satellite imagery to continuously monitor vulnerable world heritage wonders in dangerous regions around the world,
✓ Documentation, management , monitoring change detection urban pressure, pollution; natural and antropogenic risk monitoring, risk estimation, smart management,
✓ Easy and friendly activation of interaction with citizens and decision makers
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Future steps
✓Disaster monitoring is very important: early warning, detection and prevention should receive as much importance as post-disaster monitoring and remedial actions.
✓Change monitoring in general in all UNESCO sites; some changes can be for the good particularly in Biosphere Reserves where sustainable development actions in buffer and transition zones attract high priority.
✓ It would be also useful to see if Geoparks can be used to demonstrate past, "abrupt" changes in climate and their consequences and hence play an educational role.
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Thank you for your attention!
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Dr Ozlem Adiyaman
Earth Sciences and Geo-hazards Risk Reduction Section
Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences
(24.04.2017)
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