SERVIR Amazonia
The purpose of the “SERVIR Amazonia” Activity is to reduce negative impacts of large-scale infrastructure, extractives activities, and climate change on Amazon forests and waters through increased use of geospatial information for improved planning and decision-making.
SERVIR is a joint global initiative between USAID and NASA to help developing nations achieve more sustainable economic growth and improve environmental management, including addressing the impacts of climate change, by strengthening the capacity of governments and other key stakeholders to integrate Earth observation8 information and geospatial technologies into decision-making. USAID and NASA propose to create “SERVIR Amazonia” as a regional hub serving the Amazon and integrated into both the global SERVIR program and USAID’s Amazon Regional Environment Program (AREP).
Activity Description
1. Establish a strong consortium to collaborate on geospatial information services (in four thematic areas) to promote sustainable development across the Amazon region;
2. Build long term networks and capacity in the Amazon region to design and develop geospatial information services that inform decision making; and
3. Support improved decision-making across the Amazon region by government and civil society through dissemination and use of geospatial services and tools tailored to users’ needs.
Expected Outcomes
The new consortium will help government, institutions and communities develop geospatial services to reduce the negative impacts of infrastructure development and hydro-climatic events. It will do this by using publicly-available satellite imagery, geospatial data and maps to in form decisions in four areas:
(i) drought and fire,
(ii) water resources and extreme events,
(iii) ecosystem management, and
(iv) weather and climate.
