My edited thougths to the Virtual Workshop
devoted to 'DE Vision towards 2030'.
"It was March 2015, a year after the world fortunately avoided an Ebola pandemic, Bill Gates suggested in his TED speech that to do better next time, all our good ideas have to put into practice, from scenario planning to vaccine research to health worker training.
In light of the experiences gained so far by the pandemic Covid-19, the challenge now is how can we strengthen our preparedness and improve risk reduction from the perspective of a ‘Digital Earth? We can do this namely by:
- Be ready and prepared even for the worst scenario.
- Realize the importance of the spatial and temporal nature of data and information which is fundamental for spatiotemporal analysis, displayed through visualization and provision of near real-time sensor- and location-based services. This will provide decision-makers
with an intuitive view of the data.
- Integrate disaggregated statistical information with geospatial and Earth observation data, in monitoring, analysis, visualization and spatial distribution analysis from local to global.
- Ensure availability, accessibility and usability of reliable data and information by engaging also the citizens, social media to support and proof timely decisions.
- Develop and apply interoperable resilient infrastructures, integrate proven smart tools and services as provided by innovation and technology.
- Institutional and logistical measures to include the set up an operative board at the national level, which is able to advocate appropriate rules, generate actionable solutions based on
scientifically sound input and be supported by the domestic legislation framework, international recommendations and collaboration.
- operate an effective, full-country coverage broadband communication network reaching all sectors and the citizens according to the principles ‘no one left behind.’
- optimize memory allocations and high-performance computational capabilities flexible to unexpected needs for immediately pandemic response-related information management, visualization and support of high level decisions in country, regional or wider international partnership.
- Ensure standards, guidelines, awareness-raising and disseminate best practices,
- Advocate capacity building for education, from elementary school to postgraduate level, and engage all stakeholders from industry to academia and citizens.
- Promote development for how to address the issues related to security, ethical challenges, privacy, transparency, data/information protection and freedom of information in the era of big data, anticipating the intensive, (even real-time) use of IoT, M2M, AI, 6G, machine learning and advanced aerospace remote sensing, and the sometimes controversial interest of the individuals and the community/society.
- Monitor the impact of pandemic disease on the socio-economic aspects such as employment, economic growth, mobility, commerce (with emphasis on e-commerce, which was positively affected), transportation, tourism, agriculture, and many more sectors, and analyze the potential
scenarios for how to mitigate the negative impacts.
- Monitor and analyze the potential of implementation of the ‘build back better’ principle to achieve more sustainable solutions based on the UN Agenda 2030 SDGs knowledge hub, with the idea to achieve the recommendations of the Sendai Framework and Paris Climate Agreement.
The pandemic diseases can be a driver for innovation, not only in vaccine research, but also for technology and related disciplines anticipated by the Digital Earth Vision as discussed on 20 July 2020.
Example
A possible DE contribution in case of a ‘worst case scenario:’
(This can be elaborated and sketched in a figure.)
As long there is no proven vaccine, as is currently the case with Covid-19, the most effective tools to maximize safety of the individuals and society are masks, social distancing, frequent hand
washing and maintaining control of the regional, country and administrative-area borders. The arrival of the second wave of the pandemic is estimated to arrive with cooler weather and due to the behavior of people after the lift-off some of the earlier restrictions, while currently no proven vaccine is available.
According to the experts, similar pandemic diseases are anticipated in the coming years ahead.
What DE, as ‘the Digital Twin of the Earth,’ supported by innovation and technology development, could or should provide in case of COVID-19 or anticipated similar pandemic:
- Strengthen the coverage of broadband communication services, standardized globally, increasing gradually to ensure full coverage for human settlements from megacities to villages.
- Telecom, Internet, GNSS and IoT based warning and monitoring system including G6 and advanced M2M capabilities using among others the interoperable geospatial infrastructures.
- Similar to masks, mass production of smart glasses/face shield for individuals capable for:
- sensor-based detection of epidemic warning signals (remotely operated according to the decisions of the dedicated national pandemicemergency operative board).
- visualization of other location-based relevant data and information accessible both outdoor and indoor. (Standardized from basic to citizen-science version: Internet linked and enabling warning text/sound language selection, pictograms, graphs/maps, ranked
threats, citizen feedback opportunity etc.).
There is a wide range of applicability of smart tools to reduce the spread of pandemic diseases in the Big Data era. The selected example illustrates the potentials of the smart face shield: e.g. before entering a shop or street restaurant, thru the glass you can see the reality plus the on-the glass appearing warnings or additional information on how many people suffered by proven pandemic disease have visited the shop, e.g., during the last week, the past day or at this specific moment. Personal or location data are not shared of course, these are strictly protected by law, but e.g. close distances around positive individuals, if it exceeds x minutes will be recorded
and used for spatial-temporal analysis and warning purposes. Another selectable option might be a sound-based communication thru earphones.
Some of these capabilities may be useful in case of disaster risk reduction with the aim no one should be left behind.
It is extremely important to stress again that issues such as security, privacy, transparency, data protection, freedom of information and ethical challenges in the era of big data should be
kept in focus before novel technological solutions are implemented in the daily practice.
These thoughts represent my views only.
Gabor Remetey,
Life-member of ISDE
28th of July, 2020."
Acknowledgement: Patrick Hogan, retired Senior Project Manager of NASA Ames Research Center read my thoughts and provided some editing assistance
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