CommonSensing: Remote [Common] Sensing for Climate Resilience Small island nations located in the Pacific are exposed
to the damaging effects of climate change. Such
changes in the climate system have direct effects on
the livelihoods, the economy, overall development
and the very existence of many small island nations.
Urgent action to build capacity for climate resilience is
therefore required.
The overall aim of CommonSensing is to use
satellite remote sensing applications to support three
Commonwealth countries: Fiji, the Solomon Islands
and Vanuatu achieve their goal of improved national
resilience to climate change. The project’s main output
is to provide evidence and data needed for these
island states to be able to apply to climate funding
in collaboration with the Commonwealth Climate
Finance Access hub with a much higher degree of
success than presently. This will allow these island
states to obtain the funding they need to protect
critical infrastructure and build resilience into their
economy to combat the growing effects of climate
change.
CommonSensing will deliver impact in two main
areas:
• In terms of Earth Observation (EO) derived
services, CommonSensing will use EO data to
provide partners with access to vital information
regarding disaster and climate risks to inform
planning, food security needs and impact on
the environment. This information will be readily
available to users through easily accessible
services.
• In terms of sustainability and capacity
development, partners aim to contribute to
national and regional technical capabilities to
inform policy and secure funding for climate
change resilience programmes beyond the
three-year project. In addition, CommonSensing
consortium partners are committed to supporting
the long-term sustainability of the information
services they develop with the three partner
countries. The overall aim of CommonSensing is to improve resilience towards climate change, including disaster risk reduction, and contribute to sustainable development in three selected Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The project will combine earth observation data to provide stakeholders with access to important information regarding disaster risks (including disaster risk planning, food security, climate risk and other environmental concerns). This information will be accessible to beneficiaries through a web portal and mobile applications.