CSIRO in the Pacific: Oceania Geospatial Symposium (OGS)

The Oceania Geospatial Symposium (OGS) is happening this week in Noumea (New Caledonia)! A unique regional event co-organised by GEO, the Group on Earth Observations, to which CSIRO is contributing as a co-lead of the Pacific Islands Advisory Group (GEO PIAG).

What is CSIRO’s role?

Together with Geoscience Australia, CSIRO has organised a student placement to strengthen the link with the Pacific community and OGS organizers.

Over the last few months, the CSIRO Centre has hosted Emilie, an undergraduate student from Noumea, who was based in Canberra. She was also co-supervised by the company INSIGHT NC (part of the ART GeoDEV NC, a local network of the geospatial community in Noumea), the main organiser of the Oceania Geospatial Symposium (OGS).

Emilie joined us in Australia to help facilitate the collaboration with New Caledonia: indeed, Australia (CSIRO and GA) supported France (represented by Insight/GEO ART-Dev in Noumea) as GEO PIAG co-leads, to help organise the OGS event including the GEO Track Day. 

In addition to hosting Emilie, CSIRO is:

• Co-planning the GEO Track Day (dedicated day to policy and high-level strategic discussions with GEO and regional stakeholders)

• Co-chairing a SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) Plenary Session (Data61 and Environment BUs), with IRD (French Research Institute for Development)

• Planning and running a SAR workshop (Sunday 4th Dec – #Capacity Building), with IRD (French Research Institute for Development)

• Organising a joint Special with the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Plenary held the same week in Biarritz, France – hosted by CNES) to highlight Pacific needs and highlight further opportunities to work closely with Space Agencies to increase the EO data uptake in the region.

What is OGS?

Held in Noumea this week, from November 28th to December 4th 2022, the OGS is a unique large-scale event dedicated to Earth observation and geomatics including stakeholders and users from Oceania (Australia and other Pacific Island, Countries and Territories). With an unprecedented co-sponsorship including New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis & Futuna and the French Government represented by the High Commission for the Republic of New Caledonia, the OGS responds to a strong desire to strengthen the links between the Pacific countries and brings together public and private actors, researchers, students and future entrepreneurs in the geography and geospatial sectors.

The OGS, which values are Community – Sharing – Collaboration – Sustainable development,  is well aligned with the global agenda United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), one of GEO’s strategic priorities also supported by CEOS team on SDGs. Over seven consecutive days, over 120 participants (in person and remotely) will present, discuss and plan Earth observation projects and related activities, while helping solve sustainable issues for the local populations, around three main themes: Territory knowledge – Water resources – Wetlands monitoring.

For additional information: oceania-geospatial.com and join our LinkedIn community page , and feel free to reach out to the CCEO, if you have any questions!