Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 20071

ITU Activities in Remote Sensing ITU Activities in Remote Sensing

International Telecommunication UnionInternational Telecommunication Union

Alexandre VASSILIEVStudy Group Counsellor

Radiocommunication Bureau

Phone: +41 22 730 59 24E-mail: alexandre.vassiliev@itu.int Wind

Scatterometer(active sensor)

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 20072

Why the ITU?

Meteo-011

Global Observing System

Global Telecommunication System

Global Data Processing System

Disasterprevention

organizations

Informationmedia &

general publicTransport

Recreation&

tourism

Electricalutilities

& energy

Waterresources

BuildingEnvironment

& healthAgriculture

World Weather Watch System(World Meteorological Organization (WMO))

ITU related parts(ICT)

radi

ocom

mun

icat

ions

tele

com

mun

icat

ions

info

rmat

ion

tech

nogi

es

spec

trum

radio

techn.

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 20073

Tsunami Detection and

Prediction System

Deep-ocean Assessment and Report of Tsunami (DART) system

ITU

ITU-TTelecommunication standardization of

network and service aspects

ITU-RRadiocommunication standardization and global

radio spectrum management

ITU-DAssisting implementation

and operation of telecommunications in developing countries

Helping the World Communicate

ITU Overview 192 Member States +700 Sector Members

Plenipotentiary Conference

Radiocommunication Assembly &World Radiocommunication Conference

World Telecommunication

Development Conference

World Standardization

Assembly

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 20075

ITU and Remote Sensing

Plenipotentiary Conference 2006 (PP-06) - Resolution 136 “The use of telecommunications/information and communication technologies for monitoring and management in emergency and disaster situations for early warning, prevention, mitigation and relief ”… to support .. the use of telecommunications/ICTs (e.g. remote sensing)…

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 20076

Development Sector and Remote Sensing (1)

World Telecommunication Development Conference 2006 (WTDC-06) - Resolution 34 “The role of telecommunications /information and communication technology in early warning and mitigation of disasters and humanitarian assistance”Related Study Question ITU-D 22/2 “Utilization of ICT for disaster management, resources, and active and passive space-based sensing systems as they apply to disaster and emergency relief situations”

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 20077

Development Sector and Remote Sensing (2)

ITU-D: • assists developing countries in the use of remote

sensing information for disaster prediction, detection and mitigation;

• represents ITU at different forums related to disaster management and the use of ICT;

• organizes seminars and workshops on the use of ICT in general and remote sensing in particular;

• ITU-D Study Group 2 carries out studies and develops report on the use of remote sensing for disaster prediction, detection and mitigation (see at: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/study_groups/SGP_2006-2010/SG2/SG2-index.html);

• etc.

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 20078

Telecommunication Standardization Sector and Remote Sensing

Telecommunication Standardization Sector• Developing Recommendations related to the use of

telecommunicaiton networks for disseminating information including remote sensing data. ITU-T developed Recommendation ITU-T X.1303 (see at: http://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-X.1303/en) on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). CAP was agreed in 2004 as an international standard.

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 20079

Bandwidth and Remote Sensing PrecisionSri Lanka East Coast after tsunami 26 December 2004

Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image

SARs provide Earth’s images (through clouds too).SAR resolution (as well as precision of many sensors) depends on bandwidth. For example - 1 meter resolution at 30 incidence angle requires 300 MHz.

XV World Meteorological Congress, 2007

In Resolution 3:• Re-affirmed the crucial importance of RF bands for

meteorological and related environmental operations and research, and for disaster risk reduction

• Stressed that some RF bands are a unique natural resource for passive sensing that deserve absolute protection

• Urged all Members to do their utmost at national, regional and international levels to ensure the availability and protection of suitable RF bands

• Appealed to ITU and its Administrations to ensure the absolute protection of the passive sensing RF bands, and to give due consideration to the WMO requirements for RF allocations and regulatory provisions

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 200711

Radiocommunication Sector and Remote Sensing (1)

Recognizing that the radio frequency spectrum is a critical resource for remote sensing the World Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC-07):

• considered (with positive results) 4 main issues directly related to remote sensing (including extension of bands for some active sensors);

• approved 5 new Resolutions concerning new studies relevant to remote sensing;

• included 4 items in the draft of WRC-11 Agenda on the use and further development of remote sensing systems.

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 200712

Radiocommunication Sector and Remote Sensing (2)

ITU-R:• allocates (through WRC) necessary radio-frequency

spectrum and provides regulatory protection to remote sensing systems;

• carries out studies and develops ITU-R Recommendations, Reports and Handbooks (together with WMO) on remote sensing (ITU-R SG 7 – see at: http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/index.asp?category=study-groups&link=rsg7&lang=en);

• participates in different conferences, seminars and workshops on remote sensing;

• cooperates with other UN organizations (especially with WMO), international and national space and meteorological agencies;

• etc.

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 200713

Cooperation with Other Organizations

• World Meteorological Organization (WMO);• United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs

(OCHA) and other UN offices;• Group on Earth Observation (GEO);• International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)• Space Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG) –

international and national space agency group;• International and national space and meteorological

agencies/organizations• Partnerships with international and national satellite

organizations/operators/companies (INMARSAT, ICO, Thuraya, etc.)…..

• etc.

Workshop: “The Role of Remote Sensing in Disaster Management”, ITU, Geneva, 10-11 December 200714

Conclusion

• Remote sensing is the essential tool for prediction, detection and relief from natural and man-made disasters;

• Remote sensing systems are key global assets that serve the world as a whole;

• It is very important to provide and protect necessary spectrum, as well as radio and telecommunication infrastructure, for obtaining and disseminating remote sensing data;

• ITU plays a major role in developing technical and regulatory background for further evolution of remote sensing systems, as well as promoting their use for the interests of all countries;

• …