VIENNA, 3 December (UN Information Service) – The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), under its UN-SPIDER programme, is organizing an International Expert Meeting on Crowdsource Mapping for Disaster Risk Management and Emergency Response in Vienna, from 3 to 5 December 2012.

In recent years, advancements in technologies have made it possible for volunteer and technical communities such as OpenStreetMap, Google Map Maker and others to provide increasing support to disaster risk reduction (DDR). This includes the possibility to access and take advantage of satellite imagery, as well as the use of other space-based technologies such as telecommunications satellites and global navigation satellite systems. The meeting is meant to connect these pioneering communities with both the space industry and the disaster management community.

This is the third in a series of meetings on “Space-based information for Crowdsource Mapping”, which were initiated by UN-SPIDER with the aim of identifying and organizing specific actions that could ensure closer cooperation among the three communities working in the area of DRR and emergency response. As an interdisciplinary field, crowdsource mapping is bridging many areas of expertise, therefore, the meeting will bring together leading experts from crowd-sourcing initiatives, space agencies, DRR actors and civil protection agencies, as well as representatives from non-governmental sector, private companies, and regional and international organizations.

More information and programme are available on the UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal at http://www.un-spider.org/crowdsource-mapping

The meeting can be also be followed on Twitter, join the discussions using the hashtag #UNCEM12

For further information contact:

Markus Woltran
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-4472
Email: markus.woltran[at]unoosa.org

United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS Vienna)
P.O.Box 500
1400 Vienna
Austria
Tel.: (+43-1) 26060-4666
Fax: (+43-1) 26060-7-5899
Email: unis@unvienna.org
Website: http://www.unis.unvienna.org