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INTERNATIONAL

Today, if we need to purchase a high
level of detail of an already acquired Nat
scene, we can do that for about USD
300. Tasking is still more expensive, United
though, but there are new actors
coming up that promise dramatic Luca Solari,
cost-reduction for that as well.
With Google Earth came a much
better public understanding of what Photo:
satellite imagery is and how it can be
of use, and so we no longer need to
explain what satellite imagery is. The
"Google Earth effect" has helped us
a lot and there is now a new genera-
tion of decision-makers in place for
whom satellite imagery is not some-
thing mystical.

Q; You have been involved in this
programme since its early days. How
did you get into this field, and what
is your background?
I guess I was always interested in space,
from having a poster of the Apollo 11
moon landing in my room as a kid, to
getting more serious about it through
part-time jobs at the California Space
Institute and Nansen Centre in Nor-
way. I took a Master in Meteorology,
looking inparticular at climate change
over the polar ice caps. However, as I
was wrapping up my Master studies,
the Rwanda genocide took place. I
wanted to use my knowledge of satel-
lite imagery technology to try to help
the refugees. That inspired me to get a
PhD with a focus on humanitarian ap-
plications of satellite imagery, in par-
ticular to support refugee protection.
I was lucky to get a Junior Professional a significant impact for developing (CASTS) and the UNITAR-UNOSAT
Officer position with UNHCR upon nations. We have proven how use- Good Earth initiative. This will facili-
finishing my PhD, which brought me ful this technology is over and again. tate access to new satellite technolo-
to Geneva. After finishing the JPO Now we need to scale up to include it gies, free imagery and free products
posting I was asked to join the then as the cost-efficient and reliable tool coupled with capacity development.
newly established UNOSAT. I did, that it is. We need to use the technol- Using satellite technologies does not
and here I am! ogy in a different manner, though. need to be costly and it is our goal to
Too much focus has been on provid- put these tools in the hands of devel-
Q; Finally, being the manager of the ing ad hoc solutions, while the real oping countries for practical use in,
programme, what do you consider potential lies in automatic product for example, climate change adapta-
are the future challenges, and where generations and constantly feeding tion, ensuring food security and de-
do you want to see the programme in this information straight into deci- riving target indicators for the Sus-
5 and lOyearsfrom now? sion support systems. tainable Development Goals. Satellite
I would say that these days, the chal- A specific example on how this can applications can support all SDGs in
lenge is to realise the full potential of be done is the joint Centre for the one way or the other, and the SDGs
satellite imagery and make sure it has Advancement of Science in Space are our guide for the years ahead.

INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMAT - DIVA 13