Dublin, Ireland and São Paulo, Brazil, September 23-26, 2024 – SERVIR Amazonia made a significant impact at this year’s Geo for Good Mini Summit, a prominent event organized by Google to explore the intersection of geospatial technology and global sustainability. Lorena Caiza Morales from Fundación EcoCiencia/SERVIR Amazonia represented Ecuador in Dublin, presenting the project “Technology and Community Participation with MANGLEE: Mangrove Mapping and Monitoring in Ecuador.” Meanwhile, Caroline Salomão participated in São Paulo, sharing the latest research from Imaflora on radar data integration for perennial crop mapping in the Brazilian Amazon.
The Geo for Good Mini Summit, traditionally held at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, expanded its reach in 2024 by hosting two events in São Paulo and Dublin. The 4-day conference gathered nonprofits, academics, public and private sectors, and Indigenous leaders to explore innovative uses of Google Earth Engine (GEE) and other mapping tools. This year’s theme focused on climate change mitigation through nature-based solutions and conservation strategies, highlighting the power of geospatial tools to drive global resilience.
Lorena Caiza at GEO For Good Summit, Dublin.
In Dublin, Lorena Caiza highlighted how MANGLEE combines cutting-edge geospatial technology with community-driven monitoring efforts to protect mangrove ecosystems in Ecuador. Her lightning talk, part of the “Land Cover Monitoring & Carbon Management for Climate Change Mitigation” session, showcased how MANGLEE empowers local communities to map, monitor, and conserve mangroves, a crucial carbon sink and biodiversity hotspot. This work underscores the importance of community engagement in leveraging technology for environmental conservation.
Caroine Salomão at GEO For Good Summit, São Paulo.
At the São Paulo event, Caroline Salomão presented Imaflora’s groundbreaking work in collaboration with NASA under the SERVIR Amazonia program. Her talk, “Integrating New Radar Data into Google Earth Engine to Reveal Perennial Cultures in the Brazilian Amazon,” emphasized how geospatial tools can enhance the visibility of agroforestry systems and smallholder farms. The project aims to support small producers by improving their access to credit policies and environmental service payment programs.