Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Eye on Earth network was included on the Sustainia100 list at Rio+20 in Brazil. Eye on Earth is an environmental application leveraging Esri’s ArcGIS Online, developed with Microsoft and the European Environment Agency (EEA), to deliver air, noise, and water data to European citizens.
“Eye on Earth’s place in the Sustainia100 shows real recognition for information sharing,” said Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency. “Knowledge can change our relationship with the environment, helping us become more sustainable and resilient to the challenges ahead. We hope the award will encourage even more citizens and organisations to get involved in Eye on Earth.”
The Eye on Earth network provides tools for creating maps, accessing thousands of readily available maps and datasets, and managing geospatial content. The Eye on Earth platform makes it possible for users to share content with the public and among groups or to use privately. Governments, research organisations, nongovernmental organisations, and the public can use the network to work together to understand problems, develop policy, design plans, and take action. Furthermore, the cloud-configured network provides the foundation for other regions to create similar environmental platforms.
“Being included on the Sustainia100 is a tremendous honor,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri President. “The Eye on Earth application puts environmental and social information into the hands of many people and provides them with the tools to participate in policy and truly make a difference. The Eye on Earth network will become a catalyst for conversation. We think this is going to bring people to their feet by empowering them to understand problems and be part of the solutions.”
The Eye on Earth Watch program application is used by citizen scientists, who use their mobile devices to report environment ratings for air, bathing water quality, and noise pollution to the network.
Gathered from 56 countries spread over six continents, Sustainia100 is a complete guide to innovative and scalable solutions instrumental in creating sustainable societies. Building on ready and available solutions only, Sustainia100 is as a tangible tool for sustainability professionals – from politicians to CEOs – dedicated to create desirable and sustainable societies.
“I am very excited and inspired by this as it makes it absolutely clear that our mission is possible. That we do have the ammunition we need to tackle this challenge. That we have what it takes to create fun and attractive societies without destroying our planet,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Honorary Chair of Sustainia.
Source: PR Newswire
