The will be convened in Mexico City from 8 to 10 October 2024. In the lead-up to the event, the UN Chronicle posed a series of questions to the Vice President of the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía of Mexico and former Co-Chair of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, Ms. Paloma Merodio Gómez, aimed at informing our readers about the importance of geospatial information in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the United Nations role in its management.
27 September 2024
Interview
First of all, what is geospatial information and why is it an important part of the race to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?
Everything happens somewhere. Geospatial information refers to data that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural and constructed features and boundaries on Earth. This data can be related to population and income distribution, the location of rivers, soil type, utility lines, the location of homes and farms—any information that has a spatial reference. Geospatial information is used to analyse and understand patterns, relationships and trends in the physical space, which is fundamental for planning, resource management, decision-making and policy implementation across various sectors.
Geospatial information is essential for achieving because it provides the basis for monitoring, measuring and evaluating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example, it can be used to track changes in land use, map the distribution of poverty, manage natural resources and respond to natural disasters. Enabling precise, evidence-based analysis, geospatial information helps governments and organizations implement effective and locally tailored solutions.
What is the current state of global geospatial information management vis-à-vis the developing world? Why is the United Nations involved?
The current state of geospatial information management in the developing world presents a mixed picture. While some countries have made significant progress in collecting and using geospatial data, many others face challenges due to a lack of infrastructure, technical capacity, funding and adequate policies. This digital divide limits the ability of these countries to effectively utilize geospatial information to support informed decision-making and national development.
The United Nations is involved because geospatial information management is critical to global social, economic and environmental development. The United Nations, through the work of the Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), promotes international cooperation, the establishment of global standards and capacity-building, particularly in developing countries. This helps ensure that all countries, regardless of their level of development, can access and use geospatial information to address global challenges such as climate change, urbanization and natural resource management, ensuring that . United Nations involvement ensures that developing countries can participate in, and benefit from, geospatial frameworks, good practices and innovations, allowing them to better address their developmental and environmental challenges.
What is the United Nations Integrated Geospatial Information Framework? What are some of the barriers or gaps affecting the implementation of the Framework and how are they being addressed?
The is a multidimensional, intergovernmental blueprint, aimed at strengthening national geospatial information management arrangements in countries. UN-IGIF responds to clear policy needs, acts as a catalyst for economic growth and stimulates improved decision-making for national development priorities and the SDGs.
The Framework comprises three components: an overarching strategy, implementation guidance, and action plans at the country level. The Overarching Strategy sets the context of why geospatial information management needs to be strengthened. The Implementation Guide, anchored by nine strategic pathways, provides the guidance on what actions can be undertaken to integrate geospatial information with any other meaningful data to solve societal and environmental problems. The country-level Action Plan is specific to each country, detailing how the guiding principles, options and actions recommended in the Implementation Guide will be carried out, as well as when and by whom. UN-IGIF focuses on the governance, legal, financial, capacity and engagement processes necessary to collect, maintain, share and integrate geospatial information, through all levels of government and society, in a modern and enabling technology environment.
While some countries are already implementing UN-IGIF, there are others where awareness-raising is needed, and some have been unable to implement it due to lack of funding, weak or non-existing institutional arrangements, and lack of technical capacity. Recognizing the value that UN-IGIF provides to Member States, the Committee of Experts established the in 2010, with the objective of providing strategic leadership and oversight to sustain its adoption and implementation. Initially, three strategic goals with focused actions and outcomes were identified as critical to UN-IGIF implementation. They were: improving communication, strengthening capacity development and mobilizing sustainable funding. Over the past four years, HLG-IGIF, through its working groups, the UN-GGIM Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Center and external non-governmental organization (NGO) partners─the SDG Data Alliance—have been addressing the goals by conducting global and regional capacity-building interventions; creating a repository of technical UN-IGIF resource documents, including a sustainable funding guide; and conducting awareness sessions and assessment surveys in support of Member States.
The implementation of UN-IGIF at the national level will help countries advance towards electronic economies, improve services to their citizens, enhance informed decision-making processes, and bridge the geospatial digital divide in the implementation of national strategic priorities and the 2030 Agenda.
The upcoming Seventh High-level Forum on United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (8–10 October 2024) has as its theme “Accelerating Implementation; Achieving Resilience”. What are some of the practical outcomes that are expected from the High-level Forum in pursuit of those two objectives?
The Seventh High-level Forum is an opportunity for the Committee of Experts to bring together diverse stakeholders to strengthen national geospatial information management across Member States. They will be identifying barriers and strategies to overcome them and promoting innovative technologies such as geospatial artificial intelligence (AI) to mitigate the effects of natural disasters, thereby accelerating implementation and achieving resilience. These technologies can detect and predict the impact of disasters; assess risks and coordinate rapid responses; and precisely tackle poverty, hunger, lack of health and other deprivations among vulnerable populations, thereby helping to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The Forum aims to foster collaboration between sectors and countries to integrate geospatial information into decision-making.
Additionally, the Forum aims to increase awareness and strengthen the capabilities of country representatives to utilize this information as a tool for overcoming challenges, particularly in developing countries, ensuring that, with the support of the international community, we can make substantive progress towards sustainable development.
Could you give us an example of how geospatial information can help a country—say, a small island developing State—strengthen its preparedness for climate-related emergencies and build resilience to future climate threats?
Under the , the government of Barbados sought to strengthen resilience to coastal risks by building capacity in integrated coastal zone management. This included incorporating disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into the coastal planning framework. The data, including geodatabases, shapefiles, rasters and delimited text files, were integrated within various data management and analysis platforms managed by the Ministry for Innovation, Science and Smart Technology. The National Coastal Risk Information and Planning Platform, data and derived information are utilized across governments, NGOs, the private sector and academia to support risk-based decision-making regarding development planning, emergency management and climate change adaptation.
Therefore, geospatial information can be a game-changer for small island developing States by enabling detailed mapping of vulnerabilities such as coastal erosion, flood zones and storm surge risks. These nations can identify critical areas that are prone to hurricanes and rising sea levels, and create early warning systems to mitigate the impact of climate-related emergencies. In summary, geospatial information is fundamental to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our times.1
How is AI being employed in the implementation of UN-IGIF and in helping achieve the twin goals articulated in the theme of this year’s High-level Forum?
Strategic Pathway 5 of UN-IGIF focuses on innovation, recognizing that technology is continuously evolving and creating enhanced opportunities for innovation and creativity. AI can play a crucial role in accelerating the implementation of UN-IGIF and enhancing resilience—two key objectives of the upcoming High-level Forum. By automating data integration and analysis, AI speeds up the execution of the Framework, enabling faster, more informed decision-making. Machine learning algorithms can efficiently process large and diverse geospatial datasets, providing policymakers with timely, accurate information. Additionally, AI-powered predictive analytics offer real-time insights and future-scenario modelling, which are essential for sound decision-making. This, in turn, supports better resource allocation and faster deployment of strategies aligned with the SDGs.
In terms of resilience, AI improves the monitoring and response to environmental changes, natural disasters and other crises. Automation of satellite imagery and sensor data analysis allows for early warnings and more accurate impact assessments, enabling proactive measures. AI-driven predictive models also help identify vulnerable areas and populations, ensuring that resilience-building efforts are both targeted and effective.
However, the positive impact of AI relies heavily on the unbiased quality of the geospatial data used to train the models. While this presents a challenge, it also opens opportunities due to the interconnected nature of local and global events. Ethics must guide our approach, ensuring that AI integration into UN-IGIF accelerates its implementation while fostering resilience through informed, inclusive and ethical decision-making.
We know that women and the work they do are the foundation of local economies and sustainability, especially in the developing world. Looking back to the thirteenth (2023) session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on GGIM, could you address the gender component of the management of geospatial information, both in the execution of UN-GGIM and in end-use results?
The Committee of Experts has emphasized that geospatial data must account for gender disparities to be truly effective. The gender dimension is vital in the management of geospatial information, particularly in developing economies where women play a central role in agriculture, community development and environmental sustainability. For instance, land tenure data that fails to reflect women’s ownership rights can exacerbate inequalities. Thus, incorporating gender-sensitive data helps ensure that development programmes are inclusive and empower women. Additionally, increasing the participation of women in geospatial fields not only fosters innovation but also ensures that the data collected reflects the realities of all stakeholders, leading to more equitable outcomes.
Finally, what is the significance of Mexico hosting the 2024 High-level Forum?
Mexico hosting the 2024 UN-GGIM High-level Forum is significant for several reasons. First, it underscores the country’s growing leadership in geospatial information management in Latin America. Mexico has demonstrated its commitment through the initiatives of its national statistical and geographic agency, the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI), including financial commitments, staff secondments, operational infrastructure and further areas of capacity-building, all of which have helped strengthen geospatial management regionally and globally. Hosting the Forum also highlights the importance of regional cooperation in tackling global challenges. By bringing together experts from around the world, Mexico provides a platform for sharing best practices and fostering collaborations that can benefit countries across the region and beyond, particularly those dealing with similar developmental and environmental challenges.
Note
1 For more information, see background document “”, prepared by the UN-GGIM Task Team on Geospatial Information for Climate Resilience and presented at the Fourteenth Session of the Committee of Experts on GGIM (New York, 7–9 August 2024). Available at .
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