Franck Martin Seifert, Earth Observation Application Engineer at the European Space Agency (ESA) currently leading the Forest Management component of the Earth Observation for Sustainable Development Initiative (EO4SD), participated in the panel “How Digital Technologies Can Support Carbon Markets: The Digital 4 Climate Initiative” organised as part of the side events of Bonn Climate Change Conference (5 – 15 June 2023).
Organised by the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), this hybrid event attracted more than 150 attendees. The panel was made of representatives from the UNFCCC, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Bhutan, the Afrique Energie Environment, and the World Bank – one of the key partner of ESA’s Global Development Assistance programme (GDA).
The panel discussed the potential of digital technologies to support climate change mitigation activities, in particular on policy-making aspects. Specifically, they focused on the work done through the Digital4Climate Initiative, aiming at improving the efficiency and transparency in both upstream and downstream of carbon markets. ESA-GDA is partnering with Digital4Climate with plans to leverage ongoing and upcoming GDA activities. During the discussion, Franck Martin Seifert emphasised the importance of the Copernicus Programme which provides free and open Earth Observation (EO) data that can be transcribed into tangible information notably related to climate change. Due to its availability and transparency, this data can add credibility regarding what is happening on the climate carbon market. Furthermore, he invited participants to the EO for Carbon Market Forum which will take place this year in Frascati (Italy) from 3 to 5 October 2023.
The recording of the full session is available here.
