During GEO Week 2021, the Group on Earth Observations will present the multidisciplinary activities of the GEO Work Programme that address policy agendas involved in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP26, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration.

The online event will include the GEO-17 plenary, plus anchor and side events. Time will be scheduled each day for virtual networking. On Monday, November 22, the 56th Executive Committee will be held as a closed meeting.

Of particular importance will be the anchor events: These are the main events designed by GEO week 2021 organisers to explain the multidisciplinary nature of GEO through the concept of nexus thinking. Working on multiple topics simultaneously is essential in today’s rapidly changing environmental and social conditions. For example, work in one area will have a knock-on effect or impact in another area, such as the water, energy and food nexus. These events are linked to the global policy agendas that underpin most of GEO’s work.

Image credit: NASA

FIRA is a leading global event series, which this year is focused on the new era of robotics in agriculture and the huge impact it will have on the whole value chain. For the sixth year running, FIRA will be a hybrid in-person/online event, and is expected to attract 3000-plus attendees from around the world, including robot manufacturers, agricultural businesses, producers, investors, suppliers and entrepreneurs.

Unable to hold its scheduled 2021 NSW Regional Conference earlier in 2022, SSSI is now inviting the spatial community to join it for a special online seminar featuring some of the speakers from the original program, along with the announcement of the NSW winners of the 2021 Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards.

This seminar will focus on the importance, efficiency and innovation spatial data can provide in crisis management situations and will feature presentations on:

• Finding your Friendship Island amongst a sea of COVID restrictions — presented by Stella Blake-Kelly, Founder/Director, Cartisan
• Geospatial Intelligence: Providing real-time insights supporting NSW State Emergency Service’s emergency management response — presented by Melissa Daley, Manager, Geospatial Intelligence Systems, NSW State Emergency Service
• COVID-19 Near Me: Trials and tribulations — presented by Kenneth Tsang, Director, jxeeno