Suva, Fiji - Pacific experts in Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) and technicians were provided with a platform to share geospatial updates derived from environmental analysis through country-specific projects, and to be introduced to open source data and applications, during a conference held in Suva, Fiji from 28 November – 2 December 2022.
Convened under the theme ‘Use of Digital Platforms, GIS and Remote Sensing to Anticipate and Manage Impacts of Global Warming’, the conference was jointly hosted by the Pacific GIS and Remote Sensing Council (PGRSC) and the Open Source Geospatial (OSGeo) Foundation. It coincided with the Annual General Meeting of the PGRSC, of which the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is a founding member.
Held annually, the conference is the largest gathering of GIS and Remote Sensing experts in the Pacific, attracting over 300 participants from around the region and the world. The 24th conference was held at the University of the South Pacific (USP) campus forfive days, and saw more than 60 presentations and featured discussions, as well as technical workshops.
The 2022 conference ushered in a new era, with the OSGeo Foundation and OpenStreetMap Foundation’s regional meeting, also known as ‘FOSS4G SoTM Oceania”, being incorporated into the conference agenda.As a result, a new name was adopted to represent the new joint conference, which will henceforth be known as the Pacific Geospatial Conference.
SPREP GIS team member, Spatial Analysis Specialist, Ms Kasaqa Tora, attended the conference \and delivered a presentation on the functions of Protected Area as a buffer from the effect of climate change. She shared that the conference was a great opportunity to meet with other GIS officers from SPREP’s 21 Pacific island Member countries and territories.
“SPREP’s mandate is to serve its Member countries. The conference was a good chance to meet participants from our Member countries and raise their awareness of the GIS support that is available at SPREP,” Ms Tora said.
“It was also a great opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange with different participants who are experts in their respective geospatial fields through their presentations and the discussions that were held throughout the five days of the conference.”
“SPREP looks forward to strengthening its GIS support to its members through training and introduced new tools and engaging geospatial partners regionally and internationally,” Ms Tora added.
SPREP’s participation was supported by the UNEP-GEF Inform project and EU-OACPS BIOPAMA programme, an initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and the Pacific (OACPS) Group of States financed by the European Union 11th European Development Fund.
For more information,about the Pacific Geospatial Conference, the Inform project and BIOPAMA programme please contact Ms Kasaqa Tora, Spatial Analysis Specialist - Protected Areas at [email protected].