From 21 to 24 July, the CopernicusLAC Panama regional Centre took part in the 11th Geomatics Week, held in Bogotá, Colombia. This prominent technical and academic event, organised by the Agustín Codazzi Geographical Institute (IGAC), brought together regional experts and institutions to discuss the role of geospatial data in decision-making.
The Centre’s contribution took the form of a presentation entitled “Copernicus operational tools applied to risk management”. During the session, the main thematic areas of the Centre’s services were highlighted, and it was highlighted how the analysis of Earth Observation data makes a concrete contribution to disaster risk reduction and the strengthening of resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Specialised services for comprehensive risk management
During the presentation, details were provided on the development and deployment of geospatial services designed to address the region’s priority challenges:
- Floods and hydrometeorological hazards
These include the development of services that enable the generation of scenarios for early warning systems and operational decision-making, forecasting of expected impact for hurricane preparation, and the customisation of drought indices. These solutions facilitate the identification of areas prone to recurrent flooding, thereby optimising spatial planning, community preparedness and the prioritisation of investments.
- Wildfires
The Centre’s services deliver critical insights into burned areas, fire danger and fire risk, and post-fire recovery mapping for prioritising response resources.
- Geological hazards and landslides
Continuous monitoring of ground motion using a combination of various indicators, enabling the creation of landslide susceptibility and hazard mapping and precise ground motion mapping to protect communities and infrastructure.
- Exposure
Integrated models that quantify the population, infrastructure, essential services and economic assets exposed to different risk scenarios to support operational planning and mitigation, such as Population Distribution and Economic Value Mapping.
- Agricultural resilience to drought
The implementation of new services for the agricultural sector was highlighted, involving the monitoring of soil moisture and vegetation indices, such as the NDVI. These tools enable the early detection of water stress, optimise the use of water for irrigation and strengthen regional food security.
Commitment to regional resilience
Through its participation in the Geomatics Week, the CopernicusLAC Panama Regional Centre reaffirms its commitment to transferring technical knowledge, strengthening regional strategic partnerships and consolidating the development of geospatial solutions aimed at protecting communities and promoting sustainability throughout the region.
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Background information
The activities of the CopernicusLAC Panama Regional Centre are part of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, which is a strategic framework to promote cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region on digital and space issues under the umbrella of the EU Global Gateway strategy. In this context, the European Space Agency (ESA) coordinates the implementation of the Centre on the basis of a Contribution Agreement with the Directorate General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) of the European Commission, and in close collaboration with the Government of Panama, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIRE), the Government Innovation Agency (AIG), and the SENACYT (National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation).